Do you believe in magic?
by CCNilesBabcock
Summary: "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" The butler asked, squinting his eyes at her. The producer batted her eyelashes at him before taking a sip of her champagne. 'If you only knew, Hazel, if you only knew...' What would happen with our favourite characters if they enter the Harry Potter Universe? And particularly with our favourite couple? Co-written with TheCrownedLioness!
1. Strange Magic

_**Strange Magic**_

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" the butler asked, squinting his eyes at the tall producer.

C.C. had to suppress a laugh. If he knew the answer to that question... Oh boy, there would be fireworks! She batted her eyelashes at him before taking a sip of her champagne.

"You'd like to know, wouldn't you? Too bad I can't give away my secret, much less to a yenta like you," she purred, earning herself another unimpressed stare from the butler.

"I suppose some secrets are better left buried...but if I had to bet, I'd say you are a bad witch."

C.C. cocked her head, pondering over the words he had just said. Well, she wasn't exactly a good witch, but she wasn't a bad one either – the fact that she was a Slytherin didn't necessarily make her a bad witch!

Yes, C.C. Babcock was a witch, and a very powerful one, thank you very much. Just as many of the most notable witches and wizards in the world, the producer had attended the famed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for seven long years, and if she was being honest, having attended the latter had been more or less a stroke of good luck. Back when B.B. had been pregnant with C.C., the Babcocks had briefly moved to Britain due to Stewart's business and C.C. had been born in the UK, which had automatically earned her a place at Hogwarts.

She still remembered the day Minerva McGonagall had appeared on her doorstep to explain her parents she was actually a witch; needless to say, her mother had nearly suffered a stroke (too bad she didn't, really) and immediately had said C.C. wouldn't attend Hogwarts, or as she had called it, _'Hogtwarts'_. Her father, however, had stepped in and given her a choice – the only condition was that, if she chose to attend Hogwarts, he'd home school in finances during the summer so she'd be able to take the family business if she desired to. But C.C. was no idiot, and she had accepted her new status as a witch with great pride.

Professor McGonagall had spent the afternoon detailing the many wonders Hogwarts had in store for a young witch as well as explaining both Babcocks how to get to the school and where to buy the supplies she'd need. She remembered that that summer had gone past agonizingly slow, but – after a quick trip to Diagon Alley – the young witch had been ready to start her education.

That new and strange world had opened the gates to her happiness, for C.C. had blossomed in a powerful, young witch during her time as a student. C.C. had been quite a troublemaker, too, and she had been accepted in a little gang called _'The Marauders'_ , whose members became her closest friends... and one of them had also been her fiancé.

But she didn't want to think about that, not now. Breaking the engagement to Sirius Black had been one of the hardest – quite possibly the hardest – things she'd ever done. But they'd been apart for so long, the complete connection that they'd had when they were younger was just...gone. That wasn't anybody's fault. People changed.

 _Circumstances changed._

The fact that she was here in a casino on board a cruise ship, watching a man she was supposed to hate gamble was evidence of that. She could be anywhere on the ship right now, and yet she'd chosen to be here. Just like she'd chosen to stay late that fateful night at the Sheffield mansion, which had led to her having overwhelming doubts about her engagement to Sirius. She just couldn't go through with it, not knowing that she could possibly have feelings for Niles too...

Not that they'd talked about it themselves, either. She couldn't go straight from being enemies with this man straight to...anything else. Besides, there was the fact she was a witch! How would Niles react to that? Knowing him, he'd probably celebrate and parade himself around the Sheffield Mansion while screaming he had been right about her all along – that she indeed was a witch – and that was something she couldn't allow. Not when she was supposed to keep a low profile now that the Dark Lord and his allies were lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack.

It was not the first time she was forced to go into hiding, however. She had done so shortly before James and Lily were murdered, when she had been gravely injured during a fight. Back when the first war had been won, she had briefly thought of going back to Wizarding Britain, but after Sirius was locked up and Harry was sent to live with the Dursleys, she chose to remain in New York and try to rebuild her life there.

Ever since her arrival to the city fifteen years ago, C.C. had slowly created a whole new persona over the years in order to blend into her new social circles – she hadn't always been an ornery, stuck up socialite; she had been a Marauder, a prankster, a warrior...

War had stripped her of everything she had once had: her friends, her future with Sirius, her freedom...

Whenever she thought about it, there was a part of her that almost couldn't believe the Dark Lord was menacing their world once again. According to Dumbledore, He was recruiting followers, growing stronger with each passing day under the nose of neglectful Ministry of Magic; it was obvious that dark times were approaching, hence she feared – although part of her knew it was bound to happen – a second war would happen in the near future.

Going back to the man in front of her, she couldn't reveal anything from her world to him – Niles was a Muggle, and if she did so she would just put both his and the Sheffields lives in danger.

"You'd probably lose, Hazel. I am not a bad witch, I am merely cunning, ambitious and I use any means to achieve my ends," she eventually retorted before blowing softly on the dice he was holding in his hand. She didn't know why her presence was helping him win, but being his good luck charm was proving to be an interesting way to spend her evening instead of being cooped up in her room, with Yetta to keep her company.

"I beg your pardon? How did you describe yourself?"

"Cunning, ambitious... compared to a snake sometimes," she said, keeping an air of nonchalance.

Niles raised a questioning eyebrow at her, no doubt puzzled by the producer's exact choice in words. C.C. felt a warm sensation in her body that was very much like glee. It wasn't often she got the upper hand like this. It was a good feeling, leaving the butler not knowing what she was talking about. The man thought he was so smart all the time...

It was kind of endearing, but that thought was a momentary blip. She was having too much fun at the moment, and dwelling on anything like that would ruin it.

The butler threw the dice again without looking – another win – and answered her.

"I know you have. About half the time, I'm the one doing the name calling," he began to smirk, no doubt thinking of one of many occasions in which he zinged her using the insult.

"Really, only half?" the blonde woman sipped from her glass again.

Niles shrugged, "I don't follow you around all day. Who am I to know who's insulting you when you're at work at the theatre, or out and about on the street?"

There was a silence as C.C. shot him an unimpressed look. Eventually she answered,

"Trust me, it's mostly you, Hazel."

Niles pulled a face which signalled he might have been impressed, "Hm. I'm surprised. I would have thought that somebody would have found something to monopolise on by now. Like the physical you, there are plenty of aspects to your personality to go around."

With a slight pout, C.C. made to turn away, "Well, if you're gonna act that way and say things like that, maybe you don't need me to be your good luck charm tonight."

C.C. swiftly flounced to the exit, not giving him time to protest – if he was going to be an ass, then he could find another Lady Luck to stand by her side as he gambled his money away. She could soon hear the man running after her, calling her name in a desperate attempt to get her to come back to the casino, but she didn't intend to stop. After all, she'd probably have many other opportunities to bribe him into doing whatever she wanted seeing as she was his good luck charm.

The producer fastened the pace until she reached the deck, and – after making sure there was no one around her – she drew out her wand and placed Disillusionment Charm on her, disappearing just in time to see Niles arrive on deck, his eyes searching for his favourite sparring partner with rapt attention.

"Where in the hell did she go?!" Niles exclaimed, sliding his fingers through his hair. He had seen her running away only seconds ago! How was it possible for her not to be anywhere in sight? It was as though she had vanished into thin air... "Sneaky, little serpent... I wonder, where did she go to?"

The butler turned on his heels and headed back to the casino, hoping some of his luck was decided to stay with him now that the producer had gone away.

Once Niles was out of sight, C.C. headed back to her own cabin, and cursed under her breath when she found Yetta, sound asleep and sprawled over her bed. Not wanting to wake the old woman up, the producer walked back to the deck, and sat herself on one of the chairs. There was a full moon that night, and part of her wondered how Remus was doing... it had been ages since the last time she had seen her friend, and she missed keeping him company when he suffered his transformation.

Her mind inevitably drifted to Sirius – she had visited him almost every day since he had been confined to Grimmauld Place. She had noticed it made him happy, even if they weren't a couple any more. Whenever she was there, a spark of life shone in his eyes, and he seemed to look less... depressed.

Heaving a melancholic sigh, the blonde carefully took out her old engagement ring from her pocket. C.C. didn't exactly know why, but she still carried it around everywhere she went. Force of habit, she guessed, she had carried it for fifteen years after all. Back when she had called of the engagement, she had tried to give it back to Sirius – it felt wrong to keep it when she had been the one to call the wedding off – but he hadn't accepted it.

She observed the beautiful ring in her hand – it shone against the silvery moonlight, and the two jewels – an emerald and a ruby – inset in the white gold ring blazed in a mesmerising fashion. She laid her eyes on the words engraved on the inside of the ring _'Semper simul, nunquam sine hoc'_.

"Always together, never apart," she whispered, clutching the ring in her hand. The inscription had been their motto since they day they had become friends. The producer remembered that afternoon as though it had happened only yesterday – it was C.C.'s second month at Hogwarts, and the majority of her housemates had ridiculed her for being, as they had called her, a Mudblood since classes had started. As C.C. was the only Muggleborn in Slytherin, she had been shunned by the rest of her House and had been unable to make any friends. The young witch had never shown she was affected by this to her housemates, but whenever she was alone she couldn't help but to cry her eyes out. It was on one of the many occasions she had gone to the edge of the Great Lake to release some of her anguish when she had heard the voices of four boys approaching her...

 _"Hey, what's wrong with you?" a tall boy, with black hair that stuck up in the back and a dazzling smile asked C.C.._

 _The blonde girl stared at them for some seconds but didn't respond – she knew who those boys were, they were the Marauders, Hogwarts finest pranksters. They had a reputation for being every teacher's worst nightmare as well as being brilliant wizards. Everyone could be a victim of their pranks, but Slytherins were their preferred target. Hence C.C. fearing they might be setting her up for some kind of trick or prank; she had her wand ready to attack them if they tried to do something to her._

 _"Come on, tell us! We aren't gonna bite you. You may be a Slytherin, but it's not gentlemanly to make a girl cry," the other black haired boy piped up as he sat down next to her. "I am Sirius, by the way, Sirius Black."_

 _C.C. shook the boy's hand, and quickly got lost in his grey eyes. The boy seemed to be interested in her too, for a slight blush had crept to his cheeks._

 _"I am Chastity Claire Babcock, but I prefer to go by C.C.."_

 _"C.C.? What kind of name is that? I think I'm gonna call you Babs, it has more personality," said Sirius._

 _C.C. wanted to protest, but – after considering that he was the first person to have been nice to her since she had arrived to Hogwarts – she caved in and smiled for what felt like the first time in months. "Alright, you can call me Babs."_

 _"Wicked! Oh, where are our manners? Those three over there are James, Remus and Peter. We are all in Gryffindor. Anyway, why were you crying? "_

 _C.C. shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, "They call me Mudblood, my housemates... And I can't understand why my blood is so important for them to determine if I am a good or a bad witch."_

 _Her words seemed to have an effect on Sirius, for he draped an arm around her shoulders and gave them a comforting squeeze. "They are idiots, Babs, self-centred twats who should learn to shut their traps! You know what? You can hang with us if you want…"_

That had been the beginning of a wonderful friendship... She and Sirius had gotten along since day one, and soon enough friendship turned into love. The producer struggled to believe that their story had been eventually ruined by the unlucky circumstances of their lives.

Where had all the good times gone? How could it be that her life had spiralled out control? Years ago everything had seemed so simple, so sure... and now, after fifteen years of solitude, the producer didn't have a clue where her life was going. Losing her fiancé when he was arrested had been one of the most painful moments in her life, and while she didn't regret breaking the engagement, part of her wished that they could have gotten married when they had planned to.

Sirius' imprisonment had been a turning point in her life, and as years had gone by, she grew bitter and cold, and the feelings she had once felt for the black haired man had faded into nothing. Of course she had suffered Sirius' absence, but she had moved on, and even if it pained to see her former fiancé suffering, she just knew it wouldn't be right to marry him. Doubts about the engagement had been swirling in her mind for some years now, but C.C. had definitely decided to call off the engagement after she had shared that alcohol-fuelled kiss with Niles.

And speaking of that kiss, not only it had finally convinced her she had to break her engagement to Sirius, but it had also made her realise – with much horror – that she had developed _feelings_ for the butler. The producer didn't quite understand the nature of those feelings yet, but she knew they were deep and complicated. Of course she hadn't allowed herself to think much about them – frankly, it would only help to make her feel even more confused than she already was.

It was just so incredibly hard… a second war was coming, the man who had once been her future husband was depressed and being kept prisoner in a house he absolutely detested, and she had definitely called off her engagement when the unsettling realisation that she might feel something for her arch nemesis had reached her. It was simply madness…

A few tears ran down her cheeks and she forced herself to suppress a sob; she couldn't lose control, not now...

"What are you doing here at this time of the night?" a familiar baritone voice asked from behind her.

C.C. jumped, quickly stuffing the ring back where she had been keeping it before Niles noticed. Or, at least, she hoped he hadn't noticed. The alternative would certainly serve for an interesting conversation if he did. She took in a deep – but silent – calming breath, before she replied evenly.

"It's a nice night. I thought I'd come outside."

The tears were gone, and he either didn't notice or chose not to make comment on the ring.

"I should have guessed as much," he said, seating himself in the chair next to hers. "Your kind can't survive in sunlight, so the night is your only option."

"Ha ha, I'm a vampire," C.C. rolled her eyes and spoke without humour. "If you came out here to apologise for earlier and then to ask me to come back to the casino with you, you can think again."

"I wasn't actually going to ask you anything," the butler retorted. "I just happened to think the same as you; it's a lovely night out, so I thought I would come outside for some fresh air and a look around."

There was silence between them, before the producer spoke up again.

"You lost all your chips, didn't you?"

"It was like a shark attack after you left," he deadpanned.

The producer shifted around in her seat to better face him. She couldn't see him in the dark, but she knew he'd still look disappointed. Maybe it was best he couldn't really see her, either – she couldn't fully tell if the trails left by her tears had dried, and this new topic of his gambling was helping take her mind off it.

"Perhaps it's for the best, for one evening," she told him. "You don't end up spending everything you have, and the people at the casino get to close up for a few hours."

"Easy for you to say, Babcock, I did need a new pair of oven mitts."

The producer's answer was just a low chuckle but didn't zing him back. The butler rose a questioning eyebrow at her, but C.C. only shrugged and chose to keep silent for a while. She wasn't ready to talk yet, not now... she needed some peace of mind, and being in the deck, alone, sitting in the dark without saying anything was proving soothing to her. There was something comforting about Niles' presence, too, she felt strangely safe. She didn't think much of it, though – that would be entering dangerous territory in her mind, and she wasn't in the mood to do so. She had enough with the inner turmoil caused by her failed engagement to Sirius.

Closing that chapter of her life had been a tough decision, and even if she didn't regret it, now that she truly was – in some way – alone, the future seemed rather hopeless. What was she going to do if – or rather when – a war broke out? Was she going to disappear from the mansion and the Sheffields' lives? Was she going to fight? What if she died? What if she chose not to return?

The mere thought of a war filled her heart with dread: death, violence, loss... she had lost so much already, she didn't think she could bear to lose anyone else. But perhaps it was better to be alone, if she died no one would miss her, and she'd be reunited with her loved ones.

"Sometimes I wish I had died with them..." C.C. whispered almost inaudibly. She didn't seem to realise she had voiced her thoughts, however, but Niles had. He hadn't quite understood her words, yet he was intrigued by her odd behaviour. His nemesis seemed lost, unfocused, as though her mind was miles away... What could possibly be bothering her?

"Come again, Miss Babcock?" he politely asked.

"I didn't say anything, Butler Boy."

She worried for a moment that she had spoken too quickly, and that he wouldn't believe her.

The butler's eyebrows furrowed at the given answer, "Are you sure? I could've sworn that..."

He trailed off, shaking his head. "Never mind."

The corners of C.C.'s mouth twitched. She was partially relieved that he had decided not to pursue what he'd heard, but there was something else which she'd just got to thinking about. It wasn't often they got to talking nicely like this, and, if she was being honest with herself, she was enjoying it.

But what was she going to say to him now? They couldn't just leave it at an awkward silence, for Pete's sake – they'd never let silence get in the way of a good, witty, insult-filled conversation before. Especially not after she'd just done something nice for him, and he'd decided not to tease her about her muttered words (because she was now convinced he had to have heard).

Little did she know, Niles was thinking very much the same thing. There they were, sat in a silence that many outside the two of them would have considered civil, but the tension, the urge to say something – anything – was becoming too much. Did she want to talk? Did she want him to leave? What had she been muttering about to herself that was obviously so secret that she couldn't tell him? Did she think he'd ridicule her?

This and a million other questions presented themselves to him, but none of them were right to discuss with her. And he didn't want to make her angry by bringing it up if it really and truly was none of his business. He supposed he would have to resort to his final option: bite the proverbial bullet and just say whatever next occurred to him.

"Uh... would you like to drink something? The bar is still open," he chose a safe topic of conversation – Niles knew for a fact C.C. would never say no to alcohol.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Butler Boy?" she teased, nudging him in the side.

Niles feigned a look of disgust, "Although I've seen you drunk many times before, Miss Babcock, I assure you that's not my intention."

"Very well then, let's get moving. Seeing as you are broke, I'll be a sport and buy the first round, deal?" C.C. held out her hand, which was quickly taken by Niles.

"Well, I can't say no to an offer like that!"

The odd pair swiftly covered the short distance between the deck and the nearest bar, where they spent the next hours freely imbibing uncountable alcoholic beverages. By the end of the night, the two of them were quite drunk, and as Niles – even in his drunken stupor – was still a gentleman, he took her to her room. The woman could barely walk, forcing Niles to carry her to her bed.

Unfortunately, Yetta was still occupying it, so Niles decided to do something he would have never done if he hadn't been drunk: he took her to his room. Of course he didn't get into the bed with her, he just lay her down on it, while he took the sofa.

The woman, however, moved in her sleep, and he heard something falling to the floor. He opened his eyes to check what had been dropped by his drunk roommate, and his eyes widened when he spotted a curious-looking ring.

Wandering over, and stumbling a little both because of the alcohol and because of the way the ship was moving, he scraped at the floor and managed to pick up the ring. He might have also bumped his head on the nightstand, but any bruise he received would wait until the morning. This was first and foremost in his thoughts.

He peered at it from several angles, even holding it up to look at in the light. He didn't know exactly what it would do, but he knew that jewellers and people who knew things about gemstones did it, so that one final drink he'd had which had loosened his inhibitions just enough to relax him told him it was alright. The ring was certainly very pretty, and probably very valuable too. Just from looking at it, it seemed to be white gold, and it was inset with two gems – a ruby and an emerald. Neither was exactly the traditional stone, but he could have almost sworn that this was...an engagement ring?

The very thought of that word used in relation to Miss Babcock was sobering.

He lowered the little object away from the light thoughtfully. Why did she have a ring like this? Was she engaged to someone? The thought burned in him deeply for a moment, but then something in his brain came up with the reassuring idea that she wouldn't let him live it down if she were going to be married. So why did she have it, then? If it were a family heirloom she probably wouldn't just be carrying it around like that. Or stuffing it into her pocket when she saw him coming, like she had. She obviously didn't want people to know she had it, for whatever reason.

He turned his thoughtful gaze to the sleeping producer. If she didn't want people to know she had it, she'd probably be upset if she woke up and it was missing. She'd be even more upset if she woke up and found that he had it.

He began to look around for a suitable place to put the ring, as though he hadn't even seen it. Back on the floor was too obvious – he would have spotted it there, and besides, if he tried to get back down there, he'd probably collapse. He was tired, full of alcohol, and had too many questions in his head that couldn't be answered. The nightstand wasn't an option, either. She'd definitely know he'd found it, then.

He studied the way she was sleeping. C.C. had turned over onto her side whilst he'd been thinking everything through.

His mind started to come up with a plan of action of its own accord. It might be possible for him to place the ring near her, and then put the spare blanket in that was in the wardrobe over her, and then pretend that the ring had fallen out some time during the night. She'd discover it in the morning, under the covers, and then hide it again, and be none the wiser.

And so he did. He delicately placed the ring near her body, and covered her with the spare blanket. He had to resist the urge to tuck her in, for the action would surely wake her up, but he contented himself by observing her sleep for a few minutes.

She looked at peace, as though in her dreams she was happier... her usually tense body was relaxed, and a small smile graced her features.

"I wonder," he whispered, stroking her calf, "what is it that you are hiding, Babcock."

Eventually, Niles went back to the couch, and it wasn't long until he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Niles awoke the following morning with a killing hangover. He remembered little from the previous night, but for some reason the first thing that came to his mind was the incident with the ring. He spotted the blonde woman, fast asleep on his bed and cocooned inside a blanket. She had moved during the night, but the ring was still there, only the blanket didn't cover it anymore. As he stared at the little piece of jewellery, flashes from the night before popped in his mind... he remembered bits of their long conversation at the bar, and one particular thing she had said had called his attention. The producer had said the most curious thing: _'Well, you weren't the only one who was forced to leave things behind. I left almost everything behind when started working for the Sheffields.'_

What was she talking about? Could it have to do with the mysterious ring? He knew he shouldn't do it, but he needed to see that ring again, at least one more time... he was a chronic yenta – what could he do?

The butler tiptoed to the bed, and – without taking the ring in his hand – he observed it from where he was standing. The first thing he noticed, was the inscription inside it.

 _'Semper simul, nunquam sine hoc.'_

He squinted at it a little more. The words were clearly Latin, but he was racking his brains trying to remember what it meant. The first part definitely said "Always", that was certain, and then it had "Never" later on...but the words that surrounded them were coming up with nothing to him. And the more he thought about it, the more his head hurt. The ship was still moving, which was making him nauseous, too.

It was lucky he decided to slowly straighten up and stop looking when he did, because C.C. started to stir, stretching, and moaning as though she were expecting death. She opened her eyes blearily, and spotted him at the end of the bed.

"Oh, God...we didn't do anything, did we?" she groaned.

If he was being truthful to himself, the way she asked him that question hurt a little. But he understood her point – if they had done anything after that much alcohol, it would have been risky, to say the least.

"No, we didn't," he told her, as the memory of him putting her to bed and then collapsing on the sofa came back. "We didn't even sleep in the bed together. I took the sofa."

The butler nursed his sore head, feeling a bruise starting to appear. He was certain the memory of whatever had happened to cause that would come back soon.

C.C. gingerly sat up, blinking and looking like she might need to vomit. It was a gargantuan effort for the producer to get out of bed, and she was actually grateful for the butler's help as he helped her stand up. He'd kindly removed her shoes during the night, and covered her with a blanket. That was good. That meant that even if the ring had fallen out, it would be covered...she checked her pockets, and her eyes widened.

"Miss Babcock? Are you quite well?" Niles asked. The woman's face had gone pale, and they then shot to the bed.

The ring was there, lying on the covers, seemingly untouched. Judging by its position, it had probably fallen from her pocket the night before, and she could only hope Niles hadn't seen it.

"I... yes, I am all right. I just need to... lie down for second."

She staggered towards the bed, and threw herself on it, swiftly snatching the ring in her hand.

Niles couldn't understand why she was being so secretive about a damn ring, but for her to behave in such an odd way, it had to be important. He hid his surprise under a nonchalant façade, and headed toward the bathroom.

"Do you need anything? Water, perhaps?"

The producer shook her head, and scrambled towards her shoes. As she put them on, she couldn't help but glance at him every once in a while, as though expecting him to mention the ring. But he didn't, he only limited himself to making small talk as he went about his morning routine.

The situation in itself was absolutely bizarre: She had woken up in Niles' room, had almost lost her ring, and the butler was being strangely civil towards her. At first she hadn't been so sure when he said they hadn't had sex, but little by little the previous night came back to her mind, and her last memory before she had fallen into Morpheus' arms was him placing a blanket over her. He had been extremely thoughtful, something that was irking her beyond measure... What was going on with him? This was Niles, for Christ sake! The only thing that mattered to her was getting out of his room as soon as possible.

Well… as soon as possible, but not too quickly.

Diving onto the bed like that hadn't actually done her any good. It was making her head pound and swim in quick succession, and now she felt sicker than ever.

But she'd managed to store the ring safely back in her pocket. That was the important part. She could get water and freshen up back in her own room. Hopefully by now, Yetta had woken up and had wandered out, most likely for breakfast, so she'd have the cabin to herself for a while. She could get water, and she had packed painkillers somewhere, so she could make use of those. Maybe she'd get breakfast after, too. She might feel a little less terrible by that point. Unlikely, but one could live in hope.

Niles returned from the bathroom, a glass of water in hand, and he settled it on the nightstand as he rummaged through his luggage as he looked for where he'd obviously stored his own aspirins. C.C. took the opportunity to try standing, which she managed to do. _God, her head_...even though Niles had offered her water, and would probably have offered her pain relief, she didn't want the excuse to stay. If she stayed, they might talk, and she definitely wasn't ready.

There was still too much going on in her head for that.

Bidding him farewell, but not waiting for him to say anything in reply, she left the cabin, and set off for her own.

Niles could only stare at her in silent confusion as she scurried away. What was going on with her? Why was she being so secretive about a ring? Her behaviour was extremely unlike her... He'd definitely have to investigate this. Babcock had never acted in such a way, and she'd have to be hiding something really big for her to act the way she did.


	2. Revelations

**_Chapter 2_**

 ** _Revelations_**

A week had gone by since the family had returned from their vacation, and everybody had gotten back to their usual routine. The pair of producers had also started working on a new play, and as such, both Maxwell and C.C. were drowning in paperwork.

The blonde wasn't particularly interested in the play, though. C.C. was restless, she had been feeling out of sorts since she had woken up – it was as though something had happened or was about to happen. The blonde couldn't concentrate on the pile of paperwork before her nor at whatever was it that Maxwell was ranting about, so she limited herself to nodding absentmindedly at Max's questions and suggestions. Her eyes had drifted to the window, and she was staring at the beautiful day outside. She remembered that on days like this – when she was a student at Hogwarts – the Marauders and her would spend the afternoon sitting nearby the lake, scheming, playing Exploding Snap, or just doing whatever came to their minds.

How much she missed that freedom… how much she missed being able to be in her world!

"C.C. are you listening to me?!"

Maxwell's irritated voice brought C.C. out of her reverie. She looked back at her business associate, and straightened her posture.  
"Uh, yes Maxwell, I my mind just wandered…" her voice sounded alarmingly melancholic, and she realised it only after she had spoken. Instantly she forced herself to focus, and closed up her previously saddened expression. Maxwell casted a wary look at her, his brows knitted in a furrow. Even if he was quite thoughtless, he'd have to be as thick as a brick wall not to notice something was troubling his business partner.

"C.C., are you sure you are alright? You've been quite distracted the whole morning,"

"I am ok Maxwell, I am just a bit tired." she lied, trying to appear nonchalant and relaxed. She failed miserably, of course.

Maxwell squinted his eyes at her, not exactly believing her words. If there was something C.C. never did, it was allow her tiredness to affect her work; the woman was a workaholic for Christ's sake! "C.C., if you need to take the day off, feel free to do it. I am heading out in a few minutes, and I won't need you at the theatre today."

"Forget it Maxwell, I'll stay here and deal with the paperwork, God knows how much of it there is…" C.C. grumbled, shooting an exasperated look at the enormous pile of scripts and contracts she still had to go over.

"Are you sure?" the Englishman insisted, but immediately desisted on his attempts to make her go home when he noticed the blonde staring daggers at him. "Alright, alright, I was just concerned," Maxwell rose his hands in defeat, and promptly stood from his chair. "In any case, I'll be out for the rest of the day, so please remember to call Mr. Bates. He was interested in our new play and you know he is a generous backer."

"Of course Maxwell, I will see to that," C.C. answered in a monotone as she went back to reading the awful script she was holding.

She barely noticed Maxwell leaving the room, nor did she hear when Niles stepped inside it, either. The butler began dusting the office, stealing occasional glances at his nemesis, who didn't even glance up at him. Niles had noticed she wasn't being quite herself since she had arrived to the mansion that morning – Miss Babcock seemed distracted, and what worried him the most was the lack of insults being fired at him. By the time he had headed to the terrace, his discomfort had reached its summit, for the woman hadn't even acknowledged his presence. Either she had blatantly ignored him, or there was something troubling her. Could it have to do with the mysterious ring?

Speaking of that, the matter of the ring – as he had taken to call it – had never been mentioned again during the duration of the trip (or after it, for that matter) and she had even bribed him into exchanging rooms for spending 20 minutes on the slots by his side! It was simply another issue – just like the kiss they had shared not so long ago – that the two had wordlessly agreed not to talk about.

In short, since they had returned home things had returned to a certain normality – they traded insults like normal people trade pleasantries, Maxwell had gone back to pretending that he didn't have feelings for his nanny, the children carried on with their social lives (or lack thereof, in Brighton's case), Niles snooped around and C.C. had gone back to being her usual ornery self.

 _Yet_...

Niles had noticed with growing consternation the uncharacteristic glint of sadness that sometimes crossed C.C.'s eyes. In fifteen years of knowing the blonde, Niles could count with the fingers of one hand the times he had seen the producer being sad – yet in the past weeks he had witnessed a profound pain hiding behind her eyes alarmingly often. It was as though C.C. yearned for something unattainable, as though she had fallen beneath the angry waves of an invisible sea and she was gasping for the precious oxygen she simply couldn't get... there was an unforgiving storm raging inside her and the howling gales mercilessly battered her heart.

To her credit, she hadn't allowed that anguish to make itself known to the inexperienced eye, but Niles was anything but inexperienced when it came to C.C.; hence him noticing this perplexing new development and he being completely at loss. In an attempt to try to decipher what on earth was troubling the zealous producer, Niles had begun spying on her, paying more attention to what she did, but so far his attempts had been fruitless.

The butler momentarily stopped cleaning the terrace and glanced at the producer – she was on the phone now, and judging by her honeyed words, she was probably beguiling a backer into investing in Sheffield Productions latest play. Not that he would say it aloud, but she looked particularly beautiful that morning. C.C. had put on his favourite pencil suit – the taupe garment flattered her curvaceous figure, and she had loosened her hair, allowing it to fall down her shoulders like a lustrous golden waterfall. She was simply stunning, but his scrutiny came to a halt the moment the producer hung the phone and returned to her desk – after all, Niles wasn't about to get caught ogling at C.C..

No insults were flung as both butler and producer went about their respective tasks, which only irked him further. Just when he was about to leave for the kitchen, however, he caught something from the corner of his eye that almost made him lose his footing. For a second, he believed he had actually seen a book flying from the bookshelf towards the blonde woman, but when he looked again, the book was nowhere in sight and C.C. was simply writing something down on a notepad.

He blinked hard, trying to clear his vision. He could have sworn...no matter. He probably just wasn't looking properly, and saw an optical illusion. There was no way it could actually have-

"Something the matter, Butler Boy?" the producer's voice startled him out of his thoughts.

"Hm?" he looked at her. "Oh, no, Miss Babcock...I...I was just-"

"Thinking about how sad and pathetic you must be to have to clean all this for a living?" C.C. smirked. "I completely agree."

He could defend himself by saying that he thought he saw something, but even if he then immediately dismissed it as just a trick of the light, she most likely wouldn't let him live it down for the rest of the day. The _'old man needing better glasses'_ jokes would only be the beginning. She might even go so far as suggesting to Mr Sheffield that he needed his eyes checked, which Maxwell would no doubt take as a serious suggestion and then send him off to an eye doctor, "just in case".

No, better to meet her zinger with one of his own.

"No, I was actually thinking about how ironic it is that you come into work for company, and yet even in here, you end up alone," he replied coolly.

 _That ought to do it._

Not letting her get another word in, he left her to scowl by herself and resumed his journey to the kitchen.

But the more he thought about it, the more he could have sworn he'd actually seen that book move.

"Damned servant," she grumbled, using her wand to close the doors. "If I didn't know better, I'd have hexed you already..."

The blonde woman tried to return to the load of paperwork she still hadn't been able to go over, but the more she tried to concentrate in it, the harder it became. Part of her inability to focus stemmed from the fact Sirius hadn't replied to the Patronus she had sent him a few hours ago – which was extremely unusual. Since Sirius had escaped Azkaban, C.C. had made a habit of visiting him every Tuesday evening, and she always sent him a Patronus detailing the time she would arrive. Normally Sirius would respond to her Patronus with his own, yet this time he hadn't.

Knowing her former fiancé, his silence most probably meant trouble; Sirius had voiced on many an occasion how useless he felt being cooped up inside his childhood home, and there had been quite a number of times when he had sneaked out of the house in his Animagus form. Of course the Order had prohibited him to do so, but when it came to obeying orders, Sirius was just as stubborn as C.C. was.

Figuring she wasn't going to be able to focus until she hadn't made sure Sirius was alright, and seeing as the butler was currently occupied in the kitchen, and that Maxwell, Nanny Fine and the three brats were out for the day, she decided to Apparate to Grimmauld Place _. He is probably there_ , C.C. thought to herself as she locked the office doors – she didn't want Niles to try and get into it only to find her gone. Sirius was just having one of his bad days when he didn't want to socialise.

That had to be what was going on... right?

After double checking that the doors were properly secured, C.C. swiftly drew out her wand and Disapparated to number 12, Grimmauld Place.

She landed in the middle of a small and shabby square surrounded by a number of tall, decaying houses. The Muggles who lived there had long since accepted the funny numbering mistake which landed number 13 next to number 11 but, as it turns out, number 12 hadn't been forgotten but the house was Unplottable – meaning it was accessible only to wizards – and the front door could only be unlocked by a wizard using his or her wand. Grimmauld Place also was under the Fidelius Charm, and as C.C. had been told its location by the Secret Keeper – Albus Dumbledore – number 12 simply shoved its neighbouring houses out of the way as it appeared between them, revealing a worn set of front steps that led to a battered front door.

C.C. opened the entry with a flourish of her wand, finally venturing into the gloomy and cobwebby entrance hallway. Not wanting to inspect any of the many rooms in the house by herself, C.C. simply rose her wand and said, " _Homenum Revelio!"_ but nothing happened. The spell was supposed to reveal human presences in the surrounding environment, and, as it had revealed that there was no one but her in that house, C.C. came to the vexing conclusion Sirius had, indeed, left the house.

"Fucking hell, Sirius," the producer hissed, stalking towards the kitchen. If there was a creature who would surely know Sirius' whereabouts, it was Kreacher.

"Kreacher? Kreacher, where are you?!" C.C. bellowed, storming into the cavernous kitchen, where the domestic elf was usually found. Unluckily – and much to the producer's chagrin – her furious scream awoke Walburga's portrait, and soon shrieks of " _Stains of dishonour, filthy half-breeds, blood traitors, children of filth!"_ echoed inside the decrepit house, awaking the rest of the portraits who soon joined Walburga's screaming.

C.C. momentarily paused her search for the elf and ran to the portrait, "Oh, shut up you insane, old witch!" she yelled as she closed the drapes before the painting with a quick spell. To her surprise, the moment she returned to the hallway that led to the kitchen, C.C. didn't find Kreacher; instead she found none other than Albus Dumbledore.

The producer felt her heart slowly sinking into her stomach, and it was as though the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped ten degrees. Why was the headmaster there? Since Umbridge had taken control of Hogwarts, Dumbledore had gone into hiding, hence his presence being both unsettling – for he wouldn't have come if it weren't important – and unexpected. It probably had to do with Sirius, too, and the producer could feel the suffocating feeling of anxiety pressing her lungs.

"Professor! Wh- why are you here?!" C.C. muttered, nervously fiddling with her wand. The old wizard had an ashen countenance, and the usual twinkle in his eyes was gone too, which only served to agitate C.C. further. The last time she had seen that expression on Dumbledore´s face was when he had informed her about James and Lily's murder...

"Miss Babcock, I think we had better sit down before we have this conversation."

"Where is Sirius, Professor?" she asked, ignoring his suggestion.

"I am afraid I must insist on you sitting do-"

"Where is he, Albus?!" the urgency in her voice made it clear she wasn't going – nor wanted – to wait.

"Very well, very well; I shall tell you," Albus relented, his voice slow and steady, realising that she would not consider anything other than being told immediately. He sighed, composing himself, and began. "There was an incident at the Ministry, in the Department of Mysteries."

C.C. blinked, her heart not having moved at all and now a cold dread settling over her, "What does that have to do with Sirius, Professor?"

"The incident involved Harry,"

Dumbledore telling her this only made her feel worse. The man was trying to explain whatever he had to tell her gently, but it was becoming agonising.

"Please, just tell me!" the producer was shaking by this point, and starting to sweat, even though the house was as cold as it always had been. What had happened? Why had Harry even been involved? She needed to know immediately! "The wait is killing me!"

"Voldemort showed Harry a vision of Sirius being tortured, and he and his friends went to rescue him," the headmaster continued. "But it was a trap, in order to trick Harry into retrieving his prophecy. The Death Eaters were there, waiting. There was a fight."

C.C.'s eyes widened in horror, "Is Harry alright?"

"Yes, he is fine," Dumbledore let out a soft breath. "The Order managed to come in time. Sirius went with them, insisting on helping save his godson. But he did not survive. He was involved in a duel with, and murdered by, Bellatrix Lestrange."

The professor was right about C.C. having to sit for what he had to say, for she collapsed against the wall as the news sank in. Her heart was no longer in her stomach, but she felt sick. Sicker than she'd ever felt before. Albus helped her into the kitchen, and into a chair at the table.

C.C. couldn't cry, she couldn't breathe or move – Sirius had been murdered... the man with whom she had almost had a future was gone forever, and she hadn't been able to say goodbye. Although she had already lost him in a way when he had been locked up in Azkaban, the pain caused by his death was, by far, the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life. It was as though it hurt to exist, as though there was a black hole where her heart was supposed to be.

As the dreadful news sunk in and the tears fell down, her sobs gained momentum until they turned into terrible and heart-breaking screams. Albus held her close to him, and rubbed her back in a soothing manner, trying to offer some comfort to the emotionally broken woman. He knew about her calling off the engagement, but the headmaster was also aware that Sirius was still one of the most important men in Miss Babcock's life. They had shared a lot, and had the first war never happened, her surname would have been Black by now.

"I am so sorry, Miss Babcock, I am so sorry," he whispered.

Part of C.C. just wanted to lie down and allow Earth to swallow her whole, but another part of her wanted to hunt down Bellatrix and murder her in cold blood. She wasn't going to do that, of course, but how she wanted to see the black-haired woman dead...

It just didn't feel real. She was half expecting the headmaster to tell her that it had been a mistake, that Sirius had been wounded, that he was just recovering, but she knew that was mere wishful thinking. C.C. had hurt when the Potters had been murdered and when Sirius had been locked up, but the pain she was currently experiencing was completely unparalleled; she had just lost the man who was her best friend, the man who had once been her fiancé. Even if they hadn't had a life together, C.C. still loved him in a sense, and probably always would... but just not in a romantic way.

The heavy feeling of loss anchored itself to her heart, making her fear the world around her would collapse in any second, taking her down with it. The pain crashed against her like the furious waves crash against lone boats in the sea; she felt lost, broken, as though she was bleeding out... Well, in a way she was, but the wound could not be stitched, and she could only hope time would heal it, even if she knew it would leave an enormous scar behind.

Both headmaster and former student fell silent, the only noise being C.C.'s soft cries and her laboured breathing. She didn't know for how long she cried, time was meaningless right then, but eventually, the notion that she should return to the mansion before her absence was noticed surfaced in her mind. She'd have time to mourn Sirius at home, but she needed to return to New York first. Albus offered to Apparate her back, seeing as she was in a disturbed emotional state, but she refused. She needed to be alone...

After bidding a tearful farewell to the headmaster and being informed about the funeral's date, which was going to take place in two days time, the producer Apparated back to New York. As soon as she landed in the office, she summoned her purse from the green leather sofa, and unlocked the door. The urge to flee was almost feverish, C.C. just couldn't allow anyone to see her desolation for it would surely arise questions she couldn't answer...

Not surprisingly, however, her attempt to leave the mansion unnoticed flopped the moment she opened the door and came face to face with a fidgety Niles. At the sight of a teary-eyed C.C., the butler couldn't supress the shocked gasp that left his lips; for the first time in 15 years of knowing C.C. Babcock, Niles saw her cry. She hadn't done so even when Sarah – the closest thing to a friend Miss Babcock had had – had died, which meant whatever had happened was truly grave.

"Miss Babco-"

"Out of my way!" she barked, violently pushing him away before swiftly exiting the mansion.

Niles stared after her, confused. She had seemed fine earlier, despite the deep scowl he'd last seen her wearing. Their insults never left them down for that long, and it was even more unusual for her to have locked the door – he knew that she had, because he'd tried to get back into the office. Had she been in there, by herself, crying all that time? It couldn't have been what he'd said, could it? If not, what else had happened?

He made to follow her, even though he knew it was too late because he'd just heard the front door slam. He opened it as he got to it, expecting her to only be outside, perhaps composing herself if she was going to be out in public. But she wasn't outside... he looked up and down the street, but there was no one there. Had she had the greatest stroke of luck a person could have in New York and managed to catch a passing cab? She couldn't have just disappeared into thin air!

Feeling unnerved, Niles made his way back into the mansion. Miss Babcock had given no indication of where she was going, or even if she intended to return to work that day. He didn't know what he was going to tell Maxwell when the family got back from their day trip out. He could only tell them that she seemed agitated, and was clearly crying...

He seated himself on the sofa. His work was mostly done for the day, and he was still wondering what had happened. The book appearing to move by itself. Miss Babcock locked in the office by herself, and then coming out crying. Her seeming to vanish just outside, despite the fact that it shouldn't have been possible...

He didn't know what was going on, but he'd be damned if he didn't find out.

* * *

C.C. tossed her purse on her living-room sofa and toed off her heels as soon as she Apparated into her penthouse. It had been a while since the urge to drink had been as strong and as an all-consuming as it was in that moment, but – she determined as she made a perfect bee line to the liquor cabinet – her desperate need for alcohol was the last of her problems right then.

As C.C. rummaged through the cabinet, a vague image of her mother creeped into her mind; she remembered that when she was young she had promised herself she'd never be like B.B. – she had promised herself that she wouldn't turn into the type of woman that needed alcohol to function or deal with heartache, and yet here she was...

 _Drinking her sorrows away._

Alcohol just made things so easy... her worries simply faded away the moment the intoxicating liquor touched her lips. She usually allowed it to sit in her mouth before gulping it down – she relished on the soothing effect her vice had on her.

Sometimes she felt it was almost heavenly.

But that night she couldn't enjoy anything, not even alcohol. Tonight alcohol was a mere way to forget, to distance herself from the pain. The producer grabbed an old bottle of Firewhiskey from the back of the cabinet and uncorked it with a loud pop. She didn't even bother to look for a glass, she knew she wouldn't need it the moment she took the bottle to her lips and, without even flinching, gulped down an obscene amount of alcohol, causing an all-too-familiar burning sensation to tingle her tired body.

It was almost ambrosial, and she momentarily closed her eyes as the golden liquid went down her throat, relieving the intense pain that was squeezing her heart... but only for a second, perhaps even less.

She took swig after swig, drinking away her sorrows as though there was no tomorrow...

 _Well, for Sirius there was no tomorrow._

She couldn't allow herself to think, because it would shatter her... she was drowning in sadness and alcohol, and the only thing she wanted right then, was to hear Sirius' voice telling her everything would be alright.

But nothing was alright, and it would never be alright again... Voldemort had returned and a second war was coming. The prospect was grim, but there was a dark part of her that yearned for the war to happen already – C.C. needed to fight, to avenge Sirius, to vent all the anger and frustration that were in her heart; she needed to feel she was useful. She had spent the past years hiding, just like Sirius had, and what good had it made? Hiding hadn't protected Sirius from meeting an untimely end, it hadn't prevented him to suffer... If anything it had only worsened the hopelessness both of them carried inside. C.C. had nothing to lose, and her last coherent thought before slumping down on the couch was that she was done hiding. From now on she was going to act, take an active part in the war that was to come.

The time it took for night to turn into a bright new morning, was what it took for C.C. to go through four pack of cigarettes and finish the bottle of Firewhiskey. As a consequence she had to gulp down a pot of black coffee to avoid a killing hangover and in order to keep up appearances before the Sheffields.

Even if she hadn't been able to sleep at all, C.C. had no excuse to miss work that day. For all the Sheffields knew, she had never had a fiancé, but – as she was almost certain Niles would have told them about her storming out of the mansion crying – she needed to come up with a suitable excuse for her outburst.

The blonde eventually came up with a feeble, yet believable, lie; she planned to tell Maxwell that she had simply lost another bet with Noel, which had cost her a great deal of money. Yeah, she had to hide behind her cold demeanour, and try to tolerate the next few days. After that she could simply Obliviate them all and disappear once and for all. Maxwell, Nanny Fine and the kids would be out for the day once again, so C.C. silently blessed her luck – without them in the mansion she could get her work done without having to give any explanations. Just as the blonde finished dressing herself, she noticed how worn out she looked – there were dark circles under her eyes and her usually cold blue orbs were dull and seemed dead... it was as though sadness enveloped her like an aura, and no matter how hard she tried, it was almost impossible to conceal it.

Deciding that her appearance wouldn't get any better, the blonde woman walked out of her apartment and caught a cab to the mansion, silently praying that the butler kept his nose out of her business.

* * *

"Hello, hello," she announced herself once she breezed into the Sheffield residence, putting on her best sincerely insincere smile.

"Good morning, C.C.!" Maxwell greeted her without looking up - he was too busy helping Fran with her coat whilst Niles fetched the kids' coats. "How are you today?"

"Fine, just fine," she lied. At this point, her employer looked up and frowned, before ushering his children into the living room to wait. Fran stayed where she was, looking at the producer. If C.C.'d the put a bet on Niles telling them, she would almost certainly have won it by now. There wasn't really any other reason for the nanny to hang around for this conversation, other than the fact that it was gossip and she was interested in.

"Are you sure?" he asked, lowering his voice and appearing concerned. "Niles told us what happened yesterday."

She shot a look towards the butler, who kind of raised his eyebrows and shrugged in a way that suggested he felt he had no choice.

"Absolutely," the blonde woman took on a look of confidence as she directed her gaze back to Maxwell. This was it. Time to lie. "I was just a little ticked off at my brother, that's all."

"Noel?" Maxwell blinked. "Why?"

"He and I had...rather a substantial bet going," C.C. tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, swallowing. She was hoping her little act looked genuine. "I called him, hoping he might reconsider the terms, but he won't. I guess it just became too much."

The other producer's features softened, "Oh. Is there something I can do to help in the matter?"

The blonde shook her head, "No. It's just something I'll have to deal with."

"I see," Maxwell glanced at Fran, and then at the children, who were looking over the back of the sofa, clearly listening in, despite being sent away from the conversation. "Well, if you change your mind, and you do need my assistance in the matter, then don't hesitate to tell me."

"I won't, thank you," C.C. knew she really wouldn't, but she appreciated the gesture. There was, however, a limit to everything in life, and C.C. wasn't sure she'd be able to maintain her composure for any longer. Being surrounded by people had only served to upset her, and all she needed is some time alone and getting the family out of the house.

"Anyway, shouldn't you all be going?" C.C. chirped, successfully deviating the general attention from her and the supposed 'bet'.

"That's a very good point, Miss Babcock," Fran piped up, heading for the door. "Kids!"

C.C. backed out of the way as the Sheffield children came through into the hallway, handing Niles her coat as Maxwell let her know what he expected her to do that day. Then the family said their farewells and left, the butler quickly depositing C.C.'s coat in the closet in order to close the front door.

 _Finally_ , she thought to herself, _alone at last_.

Alright, _almost_. But she could live with Niles being there, as long as she was in the office and he was...well, anywhere else.

Before heading to the office, however, she grabbed a bottle of whiskey from Maxwell's liquor cabinet -making a mental note to buy him a new one later- and sauntered to the office without even glancing at the consternated butler. Each step she took away from him, made the nonchalant façade she had bravely put on, quickly melt away. She couldn't hide the pain for long, and what she needed was the solitude of her office.

Once inside it, she didn't even attempt to get near the paperwork, she just poured herself a glass of whiskey and lit a cigarette as she plopped herself down on her chair. C.C. didn't know why, but she had brought her engagement ring with her that day, so she took it out of her pocket and carefully deposited it on Maxwell's ample desk. She observed it from her chair, remembering the night Sirius had proposed to her...

It had been a warm summer night in Britain, and Sirius – with James' help – had organised a wonderful party. All of her friends had been there, and she could almost hear Frank Sinatra's voice dancing in the air around her. Sirius had held her close to his body, lovingly whispering the lyrics of 'I Got You Under My Skin' to her ear. Suddenly, the song had changed, and 'Witchcraft' had started playing.

It was in that moment when Sirius had gotten to his knee, and as Sinatra sung, he had taken a black leather box from his pocket.

' _Chastity Claire Babcock,' he had said, a cheeky grin brightening his features 'You have bewitched me... Would you marry this poor idiot?_ '

She had said yes, of course, and the party had gone on until dawn. James and a heavily pregnant Lily had cheered at the happy event, and had proposed a toast for the future Mr. and Mrs. Black...

That night had truly been magical in every sense of the word.

How could that have slipped through her fingers? How could it be that the life that once had seen so generous and beautiful had ended in tragedy? She was supposed to be his wife, not needing to call off their engagement because they had drifted apart...

It was just not fair.

There was a part of her that blamed herself for Sirius death; perhaps, just perhaps, if she had been there for him, she might have been able to stop him, to defend him, to help him heal... perhaps, if she had simply married him when he got out of Azkaban as he had asked, Sirius would still be with her.

But the past couldn't be undone, and Sirius was never coming back. As this gloomy thought filled her tired mind, a new wave of tears fell down. The producer wasn't used to feeling as defenceless as she was in that moment, she had always been able to cope with grief - experiencing a war does that to you - but now the only thing that C.C. could do as she stared at the ring, was curl up in a ball, in a feeble attempt to try and hide her sadness from the harsh world.

And perhaps, even from her...

"I should have been there for you," she whispered, looking at the ring, as though Sirius could hear her words. "I should have been more understanding... I shouldn't have broken the engagement the way I did..."

Unbeknownst to her, a nosey butler had been spying on her from the terrace, and he had clearly heard everything she had said...

Niles' eyes widened as the words registered. So his thought before had been right; that _was_ an engagement ring! But who had she been engaged to? She'd never mentioned that she'd been with any man long enough to consider plans such as moving in together, let alone long enough for him to become her fiancé. Who was this man? Where was he? Why had Miss Babcock called off their engagement?

And why did the mere thought of her with this mystery man make something inside him burn?

The producer hadn't finished her speech, though, and he put aside the thoughts he was having in order to continue listening.

"It was just...I couldn't go on with the way things were...knowing that we'd drifted apart, and...and that I had feelings elsewhere..." C.C. gulped, blinking away tears. "It wasn't your fault...but it is my fault that things weren't right again afterwards. I should have made more of an effort to see you, to ease the hurt somehow. I don't know how, but I would have done anything to see you truly happy again. Even if I didn't love you any more, you were still my friend...and I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye."

Goodbye? That sounded like this man – whomever he was – had died. And fairly recently, if C.C. was regretting not being able to see him before it happened. The butler sighed to himself. No wonder the poor woman had been devastated enough to run out of the mansion yesterday. He wondered if she had had a phone call, and that was when she'd found out.

He observed the woman lit yet another cigarette, and gulp some of her whiskey, angry tears sliding down her cheeks. He had never seen her in such a state, but it didn't surprise him, either. Knowing Babcock, sadness would eventually give way to anger, and if there was one thing C.C. Babcock wasn't good at, it was dealing with anger or frustration.

"Damn this bullshit!" the blonde finally hissed as she banged her fist against the table. "Damn death, damn me, damn this shitty life!" she ranted and – before Niles could make a hasty retreat to the kitchen – the woman he had been spying on moved to the terrace, only to find herself face to face with him.

There was a second of tense silence in which the producer's expression morphed from anger, to surprise, to anger again. The butler, on the other hand, resembled a deer in the headlights.

What was he going to say now? How could he make her understand he didn't want to make fun of her?

Little did he know similar thoughts were crossing her mind, and she was trying to decide how she'd react. Part of her was angry – actually, it was more like furious – it was obvious the butler had heard about her engagement, and she was sure he had deduced her former fiancé had died by the way she had talked. But, strangely enough, part of her felt relieved too... Niles didn't seem to have malicious intentions; if anything he seemed rather surprised and ... worried? Perhaps, in this time of need, his nemesis would prove to be human enough not to mock her grief.

Taking a drag of her cigarette, the blonde schooled her emotions and finally spoke. "How long have you been there? How much did you hear?"

Niles had two choices at this point; he could either tell her he'd heard nothing and had only just appeared at the door, which in itself could go one of two ways; either she'd believe him and resort to calming herself lest he suspected anything, or she wouldn't believe him and there would be quite a while for him which would be spent being shouted at by her, for lying.

Or, he could tell her the truth. That he'd heard most – if not all – of what she'd been saying. He'd have to explain that he hadn't meant to, and apologise. Then, maybe, he could try offering her some support, if that's what she wanted right that moment. If not, he'd turn around, and they'd say no more about it.

One option seemed a lot easier than the other.

One option might make things easier between them.

"Enough," he managed to eventually say as a reply. C.C. took a step back, and before she could say or do whatever she was about to, he kept talking. "But I am sorry I heard it. I can't claim to know exactly what you've been through, but from what I gather, you lost someone extremely close to you, and I am sorry for your loss. Seeing as how you now know that I know, I want you to know that you can talk to me about this any time you need to. I won't even tell Mr. Sheffield without your permission, I'll keep up the pretence that you lost a bet with your brother. I know we have our differences, but rest assured, I would never mock another person over something like this."

The producer let out a breath. She hadn't expected him to answer truthfully, let alone to give an answer like that. He was even offering to keep her secret and to be a shoulder to cry on!

She wiped her eyes, looking away from his gaze, "Why are you being so nice about this? I haven't done anything worth you keeping quiet."

Niles hesitated, but walked to her and tentatively placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She didn't reject the contact, which to him was a good sign.

"Because I know you are hurting deeply. I would have to be a monster to not be supportive."

And then, after some moments of hesitation, the most wonderful thing happened... the producer – who until then had been looking away from him and had had her arms folded – took a step forward and hugged him. It took a moment for him to understand what she wanted, but eventually he wrapped his arms around her, too, and allowed her to cry as he slowly guided her to the green leather sofa, and sat them there. Niles was willing to let her cry for as long as she wanted, God knows the poor woman clearly needed this – the support he was kindly offering her.

Part of him sensed she wasn't crying just for this man's death, but also for a number of burdens she had carried around for years. What could possibly be troubling her? He had thought he knew Miss Babcock, but the woman in front of him had an entire facet that was unknown to him! She had been engaged, for crying out loud!

"There, there, let it all out, Miss Babcock," he muttered as he rubbed her back in a soothing fashion. The woman only tightened her grip on him, and hid her face in the crook of his neck.

How good it felt to be in his arms... it was as though she belonged there. But she couldn't think about her feelings for the butler, not now...

"Would you like to talk about it?" Niles asked in an unusually soft voice. She had heard him use that voice with the kids, back when Sarah had just died, and there was something terribly endearing about him taking the time to listen, about him truly wanting to ease the sorrow that was suffocating her. But could he tell him? She was in desperate need for someone who truly heard her, but could that someone be Niles? Besides, seeing as he was a Muggle, she'd have to be extremely careful with the information she gave him, for if she accidentally talked too much she'd be forced to Obliviate him.

But something inside of her knew... something inside her encouraged her to take his offer and tell him about her sorrow and so, after taking a deep breath, the producer gave a soft nod, still hidden in his embrace.

"I-I was engaged to a man many years ago. We went to school together, and he lived in England. I know this might surprise you, but I was born in Britain, because my father had moved there for his business. Anyway, I was sent to this boarding school in Scotland, where I met him... we dated for quite some time – I was fifteen when we became a couple, and when I was nineteen he proposed and I said yes," C.C. made a little pause, bracing herself for what was coming next, "But then he got into... trouble... and was falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit, and spent thirteen years in jail. I didn't break the engagement, although part of me feared he had actually murdered those poor people. He was released eventually, finally proving his innocence. When I saw him again –after having waited for him for almost fifteen years – the love was gone... and I called off the engagement. I visited him every now and then, but he seemed unhappy, as though life was meaningless. Yesterday... I-I called him, only to discover he had been murdered, and that my godson, our godson, had been endangered, too."

Niles felt the bottom of his stomach drop out. It was terrible enough that a man she had once loved was dead, but somehow it became even worse that he had been murdered...that his life had been taken without warning, with no purpose to it, and that by the sound of things, he and C.C. had never had the chance to properly settle things after they had broken up.

But then something else in her words suddenly sank in.

"You have a godson?" he asked gently, looking down towards where her face was buried.

He felt her nod against his skin, "Mm hm. His name is Harry. He's fifteen, nearly sixteen."

The producer could almost feel the butler looking at her, and pulled away slightly to look at him.

"I know, I know - I'm not exactly the godmother type, am I?"

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything," Niles shrugged.

An involuntary chuckle left C.C.'s lips, and the butler realised she wasn't crying anymore. "I've changed a lot since I agreed to do it," she said. Then she let out a sigh. "Everything's changed. But I'm just thankful the people who got...that Harry wasn't hurt by the people who-"

"You don't have to say it," Niles interrupted. "Not if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Thanks," she muttered, resting her head on his shoulder once again. C.C. was truly surprised by how attentive and caring Niles was being, and finally being able to cry and talk about her problems had proved to be a wonderful relief for her pained soul. "I was a kid when I was appointed as his godmother, you know? Can you imagine? I was nineteen, engaged and a godmother! When James and Lily asked Sirius – my former fiancé – and I to be Harry's godparents, we had just gotten engaged. Lily used to joke about how much fun it would be when we both had kids, and that she only asked to be the matron of honour in our wedding. She joked about how I'd become Mrs. Black dressed all in white," C.C. smiled at the fond memories of her late friend. Lily had been, by far, the most wonderful and kind woman she had ever met, and thinking about her made her want to cry and to smile. It was bittersweet, in every sense of the word.

"The Potters were wonderful people, and so is their son, but they were murdered, too, almost fifteen years ago now."

C.C. wasn't paying attention to Niles any longer, for she was lost in recalling old and happier times. Times when she was free to do what she wanted, times when her friends hadn't been murdered by a psychopath... now memories were all that she had; memories and huge holes in her heart that couldn't seem to be filled.

"I have a photo of them in my purse," C.C. reached out for her handbag – which was resting by her side on the love seat, just where she had dropped it when she had entered the office – and retrieved an old picture. In it five people could be seen; there was a black haired man with round glasses hugging a beautiful redhead, who was holding a new-born baby boy in her arms. She had the kindest smile, and a pair of green eyes that seemed to shine. Right next to her, there was another black haired man, only he was holding a giggling – and visibly younger and happier – C.C. in his arms. "These three over here, are the Potters: James, Lily and Harry Potter, my godson."

Niles eyes widened for a second... she had said _Harry Potter_? Could it...? No... It couldn't be possible!

"May I?" he asked in a trembling voice, and C.C. handed the photo to him.

His eyes widened as he studied the photo, and after a few moments in which time seemed to stand still, he wordlessly handed the photo back to her. C.C. accepted it, and stashed it away in her purse again. She was kind of surprised he'd made no comment so far on the photo, but she didn't complain. The calm they were both in at that moment was kind of nice. She just wondered what the butler was thinking about; he was studying her carefully, as though he was trying to work something out but kept coming up with answers that were either impossible, or that he didn't like.  
Hoping to bring him out of whatever dream he was having, she continued the conversation.

"Whoever would've guessed it would turn out like this?" she sighed.

"Not me," Niles replied. However, he didn't seem to be talking entirely about the situation at hand. His eyes were glazed over in what seemed to be...shock? Surprise? It was hard to get a read on him.

The producer quirked an eyebrow at his nearly motionless form, "Niles, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Miss Babcock," he nodded, his expression never once changing.

"Then would you mind doing me a favour and just blinking a couple of times?" C.C. was actually becoming concerned because the man had gone pale. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Niles didn't respond, he only looked at her in the eye, and for some strange reason she felt hypnotised by his intense stare. It wasn't long until she felt somewhat uneasy, as though something had creeped into her mind... she immediately broke eye contact, and shuddered involuntary. What had just happened? Niles, who had leaned back on the green leather sofa, was even paler than before. He looked unwell, or as though he was about to be sick.

"Niles, you are scaring me! Should I call a doctor? Are you ok?" she asked in an almost frantic voice, concern written all over her face.

The man took his time to reply, but when he eventually did, he brushed her off by alleging his blood pressure had just dropped. C.C., who didn't want any more close encounters with death or illness, quickly left for the kitchen in order to get him a cup of tea and something sweet to munch on. She couldn't understand what could have possibly provoked that reaction, but what she was certain of was that he had never seen so out of his element in his life!

Meanwhile, now finally alone, Niles carefully went over what he had just seen in her mind. He had always been a gifted Legilimens, and as C.C. hadn't put up resistance, he had been able to see it all... and what he saw knocked him off his socks.

C.C. Babcock, his nemesis, the Bitch of Broadway, Maxwell Sheffield's associate...

 _Was a witch._

And not just any witch, but Harry bloody Potter's godmother and Sirius Black's ex-fiancé! Not only was she a part of his world and had gone to his same school, but she had also been involved in the First Wizarding War! It was absolute madness!

How could she have kept a secret like that for so long? How could he have not seen it before?! He mentally kicked himself for being so stupid; there must have been plenty of signs over the years which he'd either not noticed, dismissed as him simply seeing things, or didn't recognise even if he did see them!

One thing, through all the confusion and shock of Miss Babcock actually being a witch, actually made sense; the distance. She had obviously returned to New York in order to distance herself, both from the war and from what remained of her life in Britain. Not that there was probably much of that left.

But he had so many questions for her, too. Now that he knew the truth, they actually had more in common than ever. He had often complained to the Sheffields of feeling alone, which they had dismissed as him being bitter about his standing in life, but it was so much more than that. He had no friends in the States who had magic – well, as far as he knew. After all, if the producer had magic, anything was possible.

It was almost ironic, really. The one woman he claimed to hate above anyone else, and she was the one person he could potentially share his secret with.

That brought him to his next question. Would he really do it? Would he tell her? There couldn't be any real harm in it, could there? They were both magical, so they wouldn't be breaking any rules...did he want to tell her? He'd kept it to himself for so long, and at one stage he would have been convinced that the last person he would tell was her.

What was he going to do?

As he puzzled it over, C.C. came back into the room, carrying a tray.

"I brought us some tea, and I found some cookies," she said, settling the tray on the desk. "You feeling any better?"

For the moment, the butler chose to remain silent. He had a lot of thinking to do, there was no doubt about it, and – even if he was going to tell Babcock about his magic – he still wanted time to stomach the news. He smiled at her, and slowly straightened his posture.

"Yes, thank you very much," he said in the calmest voice possible, and accepted the offered cup of tea.

Now it all made sense: the book he thought had levitated to her, her seemingly vanishing into thin air; now he understood why she had spoken in such an odd way in the cruise... speaking of that, he clearly remembered her saying she was a little serpent, which could only mean she was a Slytherin... ha, what a surprise!

Now he could understand the reason behind C.C. being such an aggressive and generally unpleasant person; she had lost so much, she had faced so much, that she must have adopted her ornery persona as a defence mechanism. He understood the alcohol, the smoking, the general disregard for her health... Now that he knew what he knew, the cause of her pain was evident.

If Sirius had been murdered, and if Harry had been in danger, it could only mean The Dark Lord was truly back. He had been trying to deny that to himself, but by what she had said and by what he had seen in her mind, it was very clear the Dark Lord had returned. What did that mean for her? Knowing Babcock, she was going to fight... fight against every damn thing that crossed her path! But this also meant that – in case a second war ensued – she'd go away.

And, for all the times he had tried to make her quit, or be sent away, or even (once or twice in the first few months that they'd known each other – neither time he was actually particularly proud of) get her fired, he felt different about it this time. Before, he would have been doing backflips and wanting to shout from the rooftops about how he'd finally beaten her. How his nemesis was finally gone.

But now, the last thing he wanted was for her to go.

Was it because she was going so far away? Was it because she would probably be gone for a very long time? Was it because she was going to put herself in danger?

Was it because she might not come back?

Whatever happened whilst she was away, there was nothing he could do to stop it. Any fights, any injuries...anything else, she was going to face it alone.

Well, not entirely, obviously. Although, knowing C.C. Babcock, she would probably give it a damn good go if it came right down to it. But she'd be facing any threat without any help from him, when he could provide it.

If he told her.

If she was going to leave, as his gut instinct and his knowledge relating to her personality were telling him, he might have to be quick about it.

But the timing would have to be exactly right. He didn't need it going wrong in any way.

"I am going to Britain for a few days," she eventually spoke up, bringing him out of his thoughts. "The funeral is taking place in two days time, and I should be there. Would you please tell Maxwell I'll be gone for a while?" the woman lost the small smile their strangely pleasant time had evoked.

As the memories from the past hours came rushing back at her, she felt the tears slowly threatening to fall down again. It was time to go, she thought to herself, she needed to leave for Britain.

"Of course, Miss Babcock. What should I tell him when he asks me about the motive behind your sudden departure?" he asked, politely helping her up.

"The truth... Just tell him I'll explain everything to him later. I probably won't be reached at my phone, either; the venue of the funeral is quite isolated and I'll probably won't get good service."

Technology didn't work at Hogwarts, and frankly it was an advantage... The last thing she needed was to be bombarded with business phone calls. Niles immediately understood where she was going, and nodded in agreement. She was going back to Hogwarts, their old school.

As they reached the office's door, an uncomfortable silence hung between them for a second, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. The moment they had shared a few minutes ago had been odd enough as it was -they weren't used to being kind to one another, even if that was what their hearts wanted.

"So, uh... I hope you arrive safely to -oomf!" he was cut off by her giving him a quick hug. It only lasted for a second, but he knew how much it meant, coming from her.

"You don't have to say anything, Hazel," she said as she pulled away. That felt like a lie – there was still so much that they had to say to one another, if they could both fight through the many layers of fear, pride, (pretend) hatred, and awkwardness that they had been caught up in for the better part of their time knowing one another. But it was all she could say to him - it was all she had time for. "I'd better be going now. I have to pack."

With a hasty "goodbye" that the butler barely heard, the producer had grabbed her purse and made a swift exit from the office.

For a moment, Niles was stunned. The time they had just shared together had felt extremely personal, and all the information he had received – both from her own information and from his own deduction – had left his head reeling.

But he had to snap out of it. Miss Babcock had magic, there was no doubt in his mind about it now, and she could leave for Britain at any time. She might not even have to pack; she could have an Undetectable Extension Charm on her purse and already be ready, for all he knew. And he still hadn't even told her he was a wizard, too.

He had to figure out what to do, and the only course of action in that regard was to get himself in gear, be quick, and follow her before it was too late.


	3. The Deal

**_Chapter 3_**

 ** _The Deal_**

Packing had never been one of C.C.'s favourite activities. Considering she'd always had servants to do so for her, it was not surprising. But this time it was different... she was going back to her world, to her old and beloved school, hence packing not feeling like a nuisance.

She wasn't going to pack by hand, though, so she walked around the room waving her wand and observing how her clothes and necessities diligently floated to her tiny handbag, which she had enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Once her luggage was ready, the woman walked into her enormous closet and rummaged through it, searching for one of her old robes. It had been years since she had last used them, and the prospect of doing so thrilled her to no end. The producer chose to wear a beautiful lavender, floor-length robe and she completed her outfit with a black pointy hat; now she looked every bit of the witch she was, and for the first time in years, she actually felt somewhat free.

Being cooped up in business wear day after day, it was easy to forget how loose and comfortable robes were. It was letting her skin breathe, and that in itself felt freeing. But it wasn't just that. It was like letting a part of herself that she always hid be out in the open for the first time in ages. Well, it kind of was, even if it was only herself seeing it, in the mirror in front of her. C.C. had been concerned that maybe the robes wouldn't fit anymore, or be too damaged to wear, but they were just fine. She turned herself this way and that in the mirror, admiring how she looked before she stopped again, sighing.

She'd forgotten how much she'd missed dressing like this.

But, she told herself, she was going back to the magical world, and she would be able to dress in robes for as long as she stayed. The producer didn't feel like she'd particularly miss Muggle clothes – especially not high heels that were making her feet ache just by thinking about them. She wondered if Maxwell would notice if she came in to work dressed in a witch's robes – not for any inappropriate reasons, just to see if he actually noticed anything different. The man was so unobservant, she came to the conclusion that there would be a more than fifty-fifty chance of getting away with it.

Niles, on the other hand...that was a different story. He'd spot the unusual daywear from a mile away, and then probably make fun of it for as long as the witticisms came to him.

She wondered what, underneath the insults, he'd really think...

Speaking of the butler, she had been pleasantly surprised by how kind he had been to her that afternoon. She still couldn't believe that she had told Niles about her problems after almost fifteen years of silence, and that not only he had been understanding, but he had also showed that – even if their feud had been going on for ages – he could be human.

It was no secret for her that since that kiss in the den she had begun to harbour feelings for the butler. The depth of those feelings, however, was still a mystery to her; he wasn't an infatuation, and she knew she didn't just lust after him... but what was he for her? Did she love him? The thought of loving Niles was extremely frightening and frustrating... could she possibly have fallen in love with a man that had dedicated his life to annoy her? Their relationship had been troubled, complicated, and a pain in the ass... but he was, by far, the most stable relationship she had ever had – apart from the one she'd had with Sirius, of course. He knew her ins and outs, her ups and downs, and he had always been there for her, even if he had disguised his concern behind declarations of hate. His presence always brought an unexplainable comfort to her, as though the man was the only person who could soothe her after a hard day. There had been moments over the many years they had shared a workplace, when she truly didn't know what was going on between them. Moments in which he looked at her so tenderly, so fondly... that she couldn't possibly believe that he hated her. Those moments were brief, but full of meaning.

But she couldn't think about that... not now. She was going to Sirius' funeral, she couldn't think about her confusing feelings for the butler now. Finally snapping out of her thoughtful state, the blonde gave a flourish of her wand, and Disapparated to Hogwarts.

* * *

Niles had been pacing around his room for almost an hour now. What should he do now that he knew C.C. was a witch? Should he follow her? Should he accompany her to the funeral? And in the case he did so... what would he say?

Would he be able to say anything at all, or would she hex him for not telling the truth as soon as he knew what she was? It would be a fine line to tread, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was about to make the wrong decision...

But he shook himself out of it. He couldn't think like that – there was a woman out there whom he'd promised to help through a difficult time in her life, and if he didn't make up his mind this instant, she was going to go through it alone. He'd offered her his support, and he was going to back out on her just because she might be upset he didn't immediately tell her he was a wizard? That was selfish, and not like him at all.

That settled it. He would follow her, and take whatever she had to say about him being there. Who knew, his presence might make her feel better; having someone she saw nearly every day close by might prove comforting.

Her feeling entirely better wasn't in the realm of things that would most likely happen, but any small comfort he could provide would be worth it.

He glanced at the clock, and noticed he still had some hours until the Sheffields arrived from their day out, so he decided to rest before following Babcock to Hogwarts. He figured a nice nap would come in handy seeing as he had some hard days ahead of him. The butler transfigured his suit into comfortable pyjamas, and lied down on his bed. Immediately, his thoughts drifted to the blonde woman who was either at Hogwarts, or on her way there; he had known Miss Babcock for fifteen years, and in all that time he had never suspected his nemesis was a witch... In hindsight, the signs were there, and if he had paid more attention instead of being busy trying to find new ways to ruin her life, he would have seen them.

How many times had Miss Babcock appeared seemingly out of thin air? How many times had he seen things moving by themselves around her? But most of all... how many times had he felt an almost unnatural attraction for her? He had felt there was something special about Babcock since the day he had met her, but he could have never imagined the woman was a witch. Yes, he had called her so many times, but he had never meant it! There had been times (more than he'd like to admit) when he had wished she was actually magical, so he could share his secret with her, but never in a million years he'd have imagined his wish would come true.

It was simply breath-taking...

But soon enough, a sobering thought rooted in his mind; the woman wasn't just a witch, she was Harry Potter's godmother. When he had penetrated her mind, he had seen things that had made his blood run cold: he had seen memories of her fighting Death Eaters, facing death, losing loved ones... the woman had been one of the protagonists of the first magical war, which meant that – if there truly was a second war looming over them – she'd once again put her life in danger.

He'd heard some word of what was going on in Wizarding Britain, but he had resolved to stay where he was, with the Sheffield family. They were safe in New York. But if C.C. had been involved all this time...he couldn't stay out of it anymore. No matter the state of their relationship, he wasn't going to just lie down and let her get...

He wasn't even going to let the word cross his mind. He'd travel to Britain and fight the Dark Lord himself before he did that.

His memories from the first war were quite vague, he had been just a distant observer. He remembered he had been safely hidden in the States when the Potters were murdered. He remembered his shock after reading the news that November 1st; he had been cleaning the kitchen when his mother's Patronus had made a sudden appearance in the kitchen. Niles had almost lost his footing at the sight of a Patronus before him, for his mother knew he worked among Muggles. The silvery creature had soon informed him that the Dark Lord had supposedly been vanquished by a tiny baby, who had been orphaned. He had been happy, not to get him wrong, but part of him had pitied the poor child.

But if C.C. was her godmother, why hadn't the baby gone to live with her? What had happened which meant she couldn't take the boy? Had there been someone else who was willing to look after him? There must have been a plan in place for the child, for whatever reason. Professor Dumbledore would most likely have stepped in, and whatever the headmaster said on the matter would have been what happened. Even if that meant sending the child far away, to somewhere no one knew who he was.

He wondered if C.C. had put up a fight for her godson, demanded to take him back to New York with her, to raise him in her own home and damn any consequences...

The thought made him laugh somewhat. C.C. may have spoken fondly of her late friends and their son, but he couldn't quite imagine her raising that much hell to take care of a baby. Not permanently, anyway.

The thought was nice, though, and ideas of the producer holding a baby and looking after a child and watching it grow up soothed him into a pleasant sleep.

He woke several hours later, as the sound of the front door closing and a nasal voice echoing through the house began to register in his mind. Stretching and blinking the bleariness out of his still-tired eyes, he slowly turned over to look at the clock.

The time displayed made him jolt upright. He was late – he should have been awake at least two hours ago! Miss Babcock was probably already in Britain by now!

The butler jumped out of bed, quickly packed some of his old robes into a suitcase and put his shoes on. He quickly retrieved his wand from under his pillow – where he always kept it when he slept - and with a quick flick of it, he was gone.

* * *

C.C. was sat in Albus' office, drinking a cup of tea alongside Minerva and Albus. Her two mentors had received her warmly, knowing her emotional state was surely not the best.

"So, Miss Babcock, how are things in America?" Minerva asked, offering her a scone.

"Things are fine, Professor, thank you," C.C. accepted the scone, but didn't start eating. "For the most part, anyway. My work in the Muggle world of theatre is certainly well, and I'm kept comfortable by it. It's just that I...well, after what happened to Sirius, I knew I had to come back."

Minerva flashed a sad smile at her former pupil. She had never seen her look so sad, not even when Lily and James died, "I am glad to hear so. You are still under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, right?"

"Yes I am, Professor. Remus is my Secret Keeper. Is he coming?"

"Oh, he's already here. He came for Harry; he was shaken after what happened, to say the least... Sirius was the only family he had. Poor lad."

C.C. nodded softly, blinking back tears. Part of her felt she should be offended by her teachers not counting her as Harry's family, but it was partially true. C.C. had only gotten to know her godson two years ago, after he had been told about Sirius. She had bonded with the boy, but she was in no condition to take him in, much less to comfort him when she was in desperate need of emotional support herself. The producer knew Harry cared for her, and their bond strengthened with each passing year, but she was just not ready... she was not ready to let anyone in.

"When is the service going to be held?" the blonde asked, looking away for a moment; there were tears in the corner of her eyes, and she was far too proud to show her weakness once again. Dumbledore had seen her cry, so had McGonagall, but she couldn't afford to do so again.

"Tomorrow at 11 o' clock. You will sleep here, I presume?" Minerva said, pouring herself another cup of tea.

"Yes, I will," the producer muttered before a tense silence hanged between them for some pregnant seconds. The two professors noticed the conversation was having an effect on C.C., but were polite enough not to mention it. "I must admit, I missed being a witch, dressing up like one, being free... I missed my world..." she confessed, wanting to direct the conversation away from Sirius. She hadn't intended to be so open about her feelings, but after being away from her true world for so long, she seemed unable to keep her emotions under control.

"And we are very glad to see you return to it, Miss Babcock," Professor Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes shining. "I am sure the others will be delighted to see you, also."

"Though there are certain measures which must also be addressed," Minerva interrupted.

C.C. blinked, distracted from taking a sip of her drink, "Measures?"

"I am sure Professor McGonagall was referring to the nature of Sirius' will, as well as some other matters," Albus replied knowingly. "But that can be discussed in good time."

C.C. pursed her lips, trying to hide her obvious discomfort. Had he left her something? The last time she had seen Sirius, he had informed her that – in case he died – he'd leave her part of his riches. C.C. – although touched by the gesture – had refused his generous offer. To start with, she had a vast fortune of her own, she didn't need more money, so she'd rather Sirius left his possession to Harry. The producer had hoped Sirius would change his mind, but apparently he hadn't.

Not wanting to make a scene in front of her teachers, however, the blonde witch put down her cup and forced a smile, "Of course. Is there anything else you need to discuss with me?"

"I don't believe so, Miss Babcock. Now I think it would be best if you went to your room. You must surely be tired after traveling from America. Professor Snape has offered you the guest room in the dungeons, is that alright for you?"

C.C. smiled politely as she gave a soft nod, "Yes, of course Headmaster," the blonde stood up, her long cloak falling elegantly around her, and walked to the door. "I'll see you at supper," said C.C. as she guided her hand to the doorknob. Before she could open the door, however, the same was flung open...

The three people in the office all started (though no one more so than C.C.), and the two professors rose to their feet. There, standing in the doorway, was Niles, a little out of breath, and shivering in his pyjamas. C.C. forgot the company she was with at that moment and yelped, "Niles?!"

"Miss Babcock! I..." the butler trailed off as he noticed his two former professors staring at them - her with a look of abject horror on her face, him panicking and clad only in his pyjamas. He took a deep breath, straightened up, and nodded at them. "Good day, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall."

"Morning, Mr. Brightmore. I take it you two know each other," the elder man said, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, we work together in New York," Niles explained, while transfiguring his pyjamas into proper robes.

C.C. could only stare at him, mouth agape. He was a wizard?! And what was he doing in Britain?! A million questions crossed her mind, but she couldn't find her voice to ask them.

"Miss Babcock, you seem to have turned awfully pale. Perhaps you should retake your seat?" with a wave of her wand, Minerva pulled out C.C.'s chair, and conjured another one for Niles.

C.C. nodded, staggered to her chair, and collapsed on it. With a wave of her own wand she conjured a glass of water and drank it down in short sips. An awkward silence floated in the room for a couple of minutes. Niles could only stare at C.C., for he was enchanted by her appearance. Her robes fitted her figure perfectly, her blonde hair was loose and she wore a pointy hat, similar to Minerva's. She looked simply stunning, and the colour of her robe suited her perfectly...

"Would you care to join us, Mr. Brightmore?" Albus smiled politely, causing Niles to jump slightly, freeing him from his reverie. "We have tea, or coffee if you'd prefer, and the kitchens have baked up a rather delectable selection of scones this morning."

"Oh...yes, thank you, Professor," Niles grasped for the back of the chair conjured for him, and he seated himself. He turned more towards the two professors, but he could still see Miss Babcock out of the corner of his eye. He kept feeling her eyes glancing at him hurriedly; she obviously couldn't believe he was here. Beneath her robe, he could also see her leg twitching in apprehension.

Niles stood up, and as usual, served her coffee, just how she liked it – two spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk – wanting to give her a sense of normality so as to calm her down.

"Would you like some scones with that?" Niles asked her, while handing her the cup. C.C. nodded absentmindedly as she took the offered plate laden with three scones from his hand.

"Thank you, Butler Boy," C.C. said weakly.

Albus and Minerva looked at each other, mirth in their eyes. It seemed there was a lot more than met the eye when it came to this pair.

"I think you two need some time alone," Albus offered his arm to Minerva. "We'll see ourselves out."

Albus allowed Minerva to leave first, and as he himself left, he closed the door after. This left the butler and the producer alone in the office. They were both silent for what seemed like an eternity. C.C. broke it, folding her arms, "...Don't you have anything to say?"

Niles shrugged minutely, "Surprise?"

"Don't play with me, you troll! Why are you here?" she spat stalking towards the butler, who seemed to shrink with each step she gave in his direction. She didn't quite know where the rage had come from, but at that moment she didn't really care. He was a wizard?! And for how long had he known she was a witch? Why hadn't he revealed he had powers before? Through the maelstrom of confusing emotions, however, the notion that they now were more alike than ever before surfaced in her mind. She no longer could look at him as though he was just a mere butler, he was part of her world, and that made an undeniable difference.

Meanwhile, Niles was wondering if he'd be able to get to the door before being hexed. This had clearly been a bad idea! C.C. was livid, and the butler was fairly sure that, given the chance, Miss Babcock would throw a curse at him. But he couldn't chicken out now, a little voice in his head said, he had followed her to Britain to offer his support, and that was exactly what he was going to do. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and looked at the blonde witch straight in the eye.

"Miss Babcock... I came because I was worried about you. By the things you told me I worked out quite a few things – I know about Mr. Black and the Potters. But what I can't seem to understand, is where you fit in all of this... how involved are you in the war? Why are you hiding?"

C.C. squinted her eyes at him, but she eventually sighed in exasperation as she pinched the bridge of her nose. As much as she loathed to admit it, she knew he was trying to help, she could see it in his eyes. Concern oozed from his baby blues, reminding her of how kind he had been when he had found her crying in the office.

"Ok, you're right," C.C. eventually said, folding her arms across her front. "To start with your questions, I am not hiding, I just decided to get away from... from my old life – not that there is much of it left. Originally, I returned to the States after an unfortunate incident with Death Eaters that left me quite injured, and because Sirius asked me to. I was heavily involved in the first magical war, as you probably deduced, and I intend to be equally involved in the war that is yet to come. Voldemort took everything from me: my friends, the chance to start a family with my fiancé, my identity... and I am sick of it."

Niles let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Miss Babcock had been more involved than he could possibly have thought. He collapsed into his chair once more, rubbing his forehead with one hand, "What...what do you intend to do?"

Part of him was hoping she didn't hear his mumbled question, because he was already afraid of her answer.

"What I've done all my life: Fight. I am sick of them, I am sick of this! I am not a producer, I am a witch! And a damn powerful one. I was a Slytherin, and most of my Housemates are Death Eaters who hold a personal grudge against me. Especially Bellatrix Black," C.C. spat the name, as if it had a bitter taste. "I am tired of hiding while the few friends I have left risk their lives to save our world. I was forced to escape from the first war, but I won't hide anymore; Voldemort killed Sirius, James, Lily... I can't watch anyone else die. Not anymore. If he kills me, then so be it, I'll give a good fight."

He could always tell when she meant what she said. This was one of those times. He remembered what he'd told himself back in New York, and upon hearing her conviction, he rose quickly from his chair again, suddenly aware of what he had to do.

"Then you won't do it alone, Miss Babcock. If you intend to fight, then so shall I."

C.C. scoffed in return, "This isn't a competition of who can do better, Niles. This is life or death."

"I know," he retorted, the anger in his voice growing, before sighing a little, and becoming calm again. "That's why I want to help. I thought the family – the Sheffields, the Fines, us...I thought we were all safe, back in New York. But if that isn't the case, then I will do whatever I can to make sure that we are again. If you will let me."

He held out a hand for her to shake, "Do we have a deal?"

C.C. stood still, and shot her best murderous glare at him before pushing his hand down. She knew he had good intentions, but what he was proposing was simply ridiculous. She knew for a fact Niles hadn't been in the UK during the first war, while she had been in the front line; he couldn't really expect her to accept him getting into the war without proper training. That would be basically suicidal. "No, Niles. I was trained for war, I've already been in a war once, and I won't allow you to put your ass in danger. I can't and I won't see anyone else die, and believe it or not, I don't want you to die."

Niles tried to argue, but C.C. rose a silencing hand, "Niles, I've already lost everything, and I want to avenge my friends. You, on the other hand, have a lot to lose and a family that loves you. Don't get yourself into something you won't be able to go through. Trust me, I was stunned, cut, crucioed; you don't want to go through that."

"But I don't want to see you go through that, either!" Niles barked. "And as much as you talk about having lost everything, you're failing to see that you haven't lost everything!" the force of his voice stunned them both. Niles took a moment to control his breathing, before continuing. "You still have me. Whether we're friends or enemies, Muggles or magical, you still have me. And if I can be there to help you through this and protect you, there isn't a thing in Heaven or on Earth that you can do to stop me."

He tried again, holding out his hand once more. "So, Miss Babcock, I'll ask you again; do we have a deal?"

C.C. remained impassive, her face unreadable. He could see her determination to keep him out of the conflict had wavered, but would it be enough for her to accept his offer? Would it be enough for her to accept that, whether she liked it or not, she wasn't alone anymore? The burden she had been carrying for the past years had no doubt toughened her up, had made her build up a thick armour around her, but he knew for a fact that, even if Babcock was the strongest woman he had ever come across with, she needed help. Dark times were coming, and he dreaded to think that her life could be taken away as Sirius' had. Niles needed to protect her, to make sure she was alright, even if it costed him leaving his tranquil life behind. He no longer could stay out of it, not when she was putting her life on the line.

After what felt like an eternity but were mere minutes, the producer finally reached out and shook his hand. "Alright, you can help me."

Niles smiled, quickly letting his guard down. She had said yes, and that was the only thing that ma-

" _Expeliarmus_!" screamed C.C., pointing her elegant wand at him and knocking the butler flat on his back.

"What the hell, Babcock?!" he groaned, smarting from his body having hit the ground. His bad mood only worsened when he heard her gleeful cackle echoing through the office and saw the victorious smile etched across her features. Although he was still mad, he was glad to see her smile again; after all, it would surely be a rare sight for the foreseeable future.

"First lesson, Rookie: Constant Vigilance," she spoke laughing loudly as she turned to the door, "Welcome to the ranks, Rubbermaid."

"It's nice to see that, even with this new-found side to you, you haven't lost any of your charm," Niles groaned, picking himself up off the floor and dusting off his robes.

"If there is something that will not change, is my behaviour towards you, Hazel," C.C. sneered at the butler, turning the doorknob. Now that they had, in some way, cleared the air, the producer began to think about the whole new repertoire of insults this new development offered. They would have to be careful around Maxwell and Nanny Fine, but it was thrilling nonetheless. "Magical or Muggle it's still us, you know."

The butler gave her an unamused stare, although he was secretly smiling to himself. Yes, it was still them... the fact they both possessed magic only gave a new depth to their already complicated relationship, it didn't change it. "Then I better get you a trainer. We don't want the Ministry of Magic putting you down for being an indomitable hippogriff."

"You know, of all the names you've called me, this might be the most ready-witted. I am a beautiful and graceful creature that will rip your face off if you piss me off," she turned and pointed a warning finger at him. "So watch out, Domestic Elf."

Niles was about to retort something, but their banter was cut short by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Minerva and Albus had been observing the whole development in amusement, and the tell-tale smiles on each of their faces told the socialite and the butler that their verbal exchange had been witnessed by their mentors. Not that they cared, really, but it was odd to bicker in front of the two elderly people. After all, this aspect of their personality had developed post-Hogwarts.

"Is everything settled?" Albus asked, his hands lightly clasped together.

"I believe so, Professor," C.C. smirked at Niles. "Is there enough room in this place for another guest? I'm sure Niles wants to freshen up from his journey. Perhaps change back into those fetching pyjamas he arrived in."

Minerva stifled a laugh, while Dumbledore had a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "Of course, he can stay with you in the dungeons."

"Ah, the dungeons!" Niles said with a sardonic grin, "How fitting for you, Miss Babcock. I always knew your kind preferred to reside in dark, damp places."

"Yeah, well, it's dark down there. It'll be easier having to live with you if I don't have to look at you," C.C. smiled sweetly and gave him a condescending pat on the arm.

Niles shrugged her off, feigning an unimpressed look as he turned to the professors. "We should thank you for your hospitality."

"There is no need, Mr. Brightmore. After all, this castle is a home to all students, past and present," Professor McGonagall nodded once.

"Emphasis on past," C.C. murmured, walking away while Niles followed her closely.

Minerva and Albus observed the couple, with little grins on their faces. Who would have thought? Babcock and Brightmore...

"They are perfect for each other, aren't they?" Minerva laughed. "I bet you 50 galleons they'll end up married by the end of the year."

Dumbledore looked down at his deputy headmistress, his calm expression never leaving his old features, "I'm in, but they'll get married next year."

"Deal."

* * *

 **AN: Well, here goes the third chapter! Just for the people who are not HP fans to know, the cruciatus curse is a curse specifically designed to torture, so that's what C.C. is talking about when she says she was crucioed.**

 **Anyway, we have another chapter coming! Tomorrow it will be up :)**

 **We truly appreciate reviews, and of course we thank you for reading our story!**

 **H &L**


	4. Bonding

**_Chapter 4_**

 ** _Bonding_**

"Oh bloody hell!" both blondes groaned, carelessly dropping their luggage on the floor with a loud thump. When Dumbledore had said they'd be sleeping in the dungeons together, they hadn't thought it would be literal. The guest room was a gorgeous sight; it was spacious and had a walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom, which was equipped with marble countertops, silver framed mirrors, a jacuzzi and walk in shower. The room also counted with a magnificent window that allowed them to look into the depths of the great lake, and a cosy fireplace. The only problem was that the king sized, four post bed was the only one in the room, meaning that they'd have to share it. They had tried walking out of the room and asking the castle for more than one bed, but no matter how hard they tried, they hadn't been able to achieve their objective.

"Well, it seems that one of us is going to have to be the bigger person, and volunteer to sleep on the floor," C.C. clapped her hands together in a concluding fashion, keeping them tightly gripped as the pair wandered further into the room to take a closer look.

"Yes..." Niles lowered his gaze, stomping his foot a little to prove his point. "The cold, hard, stone floor. That sounds very cosy."

"Well, what do you want us to do, hm?" the producer gestured to the bed. "We've already tried coming up with another one of these, but the damn castle's already decided that's not possible! I'm sure we can get some extra blankets and cushions and things, and that'll suffice."

"Or, we could behave like proper adults and just sleep in the bed?" Niles suggested.

C.C. groaned loudly once again, but she knew he was right. Sleeping on the floor only because they had to share a bed was more than a little childish from her part. Besides, the bed was so big they'd have plenty of room for each other. After all, what could go wrong if they just shared a bed?

 _'Many things could go wrong, and you know it!"_ a small voice in the back of her mind warned her, but she soon pushed it back to where it belonged. Heaving a long sigh, the blonde woman sat on the bed and rubbed her temples, as though trying to soothe an intense headache.

"Fine. We'll share the bed... but if you dare to even put a finger-"

"Believe me, Miss Babcock," he cut her off, sitting on his side of the bed. "I wouldn't even dream of touching you, like any other normal man."

After shooting one of her best glares at him, the blonde rose to her feet and diligently settled the little luggage she had brought with her inside the closet. The butler, who was still comfortably seated on the bed, observed her work with mirth in his eyes. Never in fifteen years of knowing the blonde witch, had he seen her taking care of her own things. He had been fairly certain she would have expected him to take care of her luggage, like he had done on countless occasions when she had travelled with the family, but it seemed the woman had other plans.

As he observed her, his mind was distracted by how beautiful she looked wearing that lavender robe; he had always thought she was a beautiful woman, but seeing her dressed as the powerful witch she clearly was, only enhanced her natural beauty. He did also notice her wand had her unmistakable touch: it was long, made of fir, and it had some kind of gold decoration on the handle. It seemed that even in the magical world, C.C. had a clearly defined taste – elegant, feminine and sophisticated.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, bringing him out of his daydream.

"Oh, it's nothing... I just can't believe you are taking care of your own luggage. Who would have thought? C.C. Babcock can actually manage without servants!" he mocked her, using his own wand to put the few possessions he had brought into his side of the closet.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, the only servant around here is lazing around in bed, and contrary to what people would think, I do not like to bother the House Elves with trifling matters such as helping me unpack," the producer retorted, putting her last robe away. "I used to argue a lot with Sirius about the way he treated the house elves and he..." as soon as her former fiancé's name left her lips, C.C.'s voice trailed off. This wasn't lost on Niles, who immediately got out of bed and walked to the distressed woman.

"Hey, it's alright," he whispered, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "What do you say if we freshen up and then get going to the Great Hall for supper, hm? It will distract you."

The producer nodded as she brushed away the few tears that had pooled in the corners of her eyes. She truly was thankful for the man that stood beside her, his company certainly helped her forget – at least for a little while – her sadness.

"Thank you... I-I think it's a good idea," the woman squeaked, wrapping her arms around herself as she scurried to the bathroom. She couldn't allow him to see her cry; she had never allowed herself to cry in front of anyone for over ten years, and she wasn't about to start now. She might have let Niles comfort her in this time of need, but she wasn't ready to let her guard down; after all, Sirius had been the only man who she had completely let in.

Niles could only silently observe the woman he had once believed untameable running into the bathroom, trying to save face before him. She considered allowing her emotions to be seen was a weakness. It still was gobsmacking, in just some hours he had not only discovered Babcock was a witch, but also that she had been involved in the war and that she had been engaged! He didn't quite know why, but whenever he thought about her engagement something inside of him burned. He had teased her about her non-existent love life for years, but he'd have never imagined the reason behind her lack of a husband had to do with her being secretly engaged to Sirius Black… Niles knew he should feel sorry for her engagement being called off, but he really didn't; a dark part of him actually couldn't be happier for her deciding not to marry Sirius.

But he couldn't dwell on those thoughts right then, not when C.C. had just gotten out of the bathroom and was walking towards him. She looked far more composed than a few minutes ago, but to Niles' experienced eye it was obvious that she had been crying.

"Are we ready to go?" he asked, offering his arm to her.

"Yes, thank you," C.C. laced their arms together, although she avoided looking at him in the eye. The blonde knew Niles was aware of her crying, but as it had happened on numerous occasions, they wordlessly agreed not to talk about it.

The respectful – and somewhat comfortable – silence was maintained as they glided through Hogwarts' corridors, the only noises around them being the faint voices of the many portraits and ghosts they came across with. By the time they had reached the Great Hall, C.C. had regained her composure, and her previously saddened countenance was safely hidden behind a mask of indifference. As the students had already been sent home (except for Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys, who were staying for the service), the four tables were nearly deserted, and only a few professors had stayed behind. Many members of the Order of the Phoenix were also there, chatting quietly or merely commenting about the recent events.

There was a sense of foreboding that something bigger and more brutal was coming – it floated in the air around them, creeping underneath their skin and taking root inside their hearts. Niles knew few people inside the room; there was Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, Rubeus Hagrid, and Madam Pomfrey, but that was just about it… The rest of the people in the room were complete strangers to him, although not to C.C., who beamed brightly at the sight of the members of the Order.

"I can't believe they are all here," she whispered mostly to herself. Everyone was there: her mentor – Alastor Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, the Weasleys and even…

"Well, well, well...look what the wind brought!" Remus Lupin's voice said, instantly catching C.C.'s attention. "Long time no see, Sinnamon Roll!"

"Moony!" C.C. cried as she ran to Lupin – who was already waiting for her with his arms wide open. "Merlin, it's been ages since I last saw you!" the blonde gladly accepted his embrace; in truth, after years of being estranged from her friend, she had missed him.

"Since Harry's first birthday, actually," Lupin replied with a sad smile.

"Damn... That long? Either way, I've missed you. It's not the same to terrorize the community without my fellow Marauders by my side."

"Maybe not, but you manage to terrorise whole communities by yourself just fine these days," Niles smirked as he walked over to C.C.'s side.

Lupin quirked an eyebrow, and the producer looked back and forth between them quickly. "Oh! I suppose I should introduce the two of you," she began. "Niles, this is my friend and fellow Marauder, Remus Lupin. Moony, this is an enormous pain in my ass."

Niles held out a hand for Lupin to shake, "Niles Brightmore. How do you do?"

Remus smiled back and nodded in return, shaking the proffered hand, "It's a pleasure."

The three of them spent quite some time talking, mostly about school days and what they had each done since. It gave Remus and C.C. a chance to catch up, and it offered Niles a chance to get to know C.C. better, in a way. It was a glimpse into the life of someone he'd always considered extremely private, and it made him feel less like an outsider than before. The many shenanigans the two Marauders shared with him mad Niles see Miss Babcock with new eyes – the woman who sat by his side was nothing like the cold producer he had known in New York; there was a warmth in her eyes and she seemed more... _human_.

"And so, James and Peeves teamed up and taught Snape a lesson!" C.C. laughed, remembering the old days at school.

"Ah yes, that day they caused quite a scandal."

"I dare say we outdid ourselves that one time," said C.C. nudging her friend in the side.

"More than when we filled McGonagall's office with kittens?"

C.C. smirked, "Nope, that one was better."

Niles nearly choked on his drink. Back when he had been a student, crossing Minerva McGonagall was something no student would have ever dared to do. Even though the transfiguration teacher had been young when Niles had first arrived Hogwarts, she had quickly earned herself a reputation of being a firm, fearsome professor. No one dared to contradict her or even speak without permission in her class, hence why the image of C.C. pranking the authoritative Professor McGonagall was both amusing and awe-inspiring in equal parts; a person had to have a lot of nerve to mess with the deputy headmistress, after all! The butler supposed that's where her penchant for pranks came from, she had spent her years as a student causing mayhem. There was something incredibly ludicrous about C.C. – the cutthroat, elegant and professional producer – having been part of a gang that had dedicated its time to come up with new and entertaining ways to wreak havoc around Hogwarts, but he had to admit this side of her personality was incredibly interesting. If someone had asked him how he imagined C.C. had been as a child a week ago, he'd have probably answered that he imagined the producer had been a dedicated and well-behaved student; but now… now he knew his assumption was miles away from the truth. But even though she had been a little terror, there was no doubt she was brilliant. A proof of that was the map C.C. had told him about; 'The Marauders Map', as she had called it, not only showed every inch of Hogwarts School (including the grounds as well as all the secret passages that are hidden within its walls) but it was also capable of revealing the location of every person in the grounds.

To his absolute delight, the woman seemed somewhat happier than she had been before, but he knew it was only temporary. Coming back to her world had surely been what she had been needing for years, but the reason behind her return was not pleasant at all.

"C.C., may I speak to you for a second?" the werewolf asked just before the producer and the butler retired to their chambers. "It's about Sirius."

Immediately, C.C. felt sadness pressing at her chest once again. The little time she had spent with Niles had relaxed her, but every time she thought of Sirius, it was as though a wave of pain drowned her. "Sure, Moony. Let's get out of here." C.C. looked apologetically at Niles, and walked after Remus, her long robes billowing around her.

Once the two were suitably away from anyone who could potentially be listening, C.C. turned to her old friend and folded her arms, "Alright, Remus. We're alone. What is it?"

"It's about Harry and the will. You know that even after you two split up, Sirius still thought of you as the wife he never had, while Harry was like his son," Remus spoke softly, he knew C.C. was having a hard time accepting her former fiancé's death. "Well, since Harry is still a minor he decided to leave you in charge of all his possessions until Harry turns 17. When he drew up his will, the only thing he asked me for was to give you this," Remus handed the producer an elegant black leather box, which she opened with trembling hands.

A sob escaped C.C. when she caught a glimpse of its contents. There were three bracelets: one sized for an adult man, another for a woman and the last one was for a baby.

"He had planned giving them to you as a wedding gift. He wanted you to have them and use them when you form your family," Remus said softly

C.C. let out a shuddering breath, the tears that had been welling up starting to spill out. "They're beautiful..." she wanted to keep looking at them, but doing so just made her feel more like crying. Sirius had hopes for their future, for all that time. And even when he knew it was over, he'd still had hopes for her. Even if none of her plans included him. She reluctantly closed the lid, and then her eyes, too, in an attempt to maintain some composure. "Thank you, Remus."

Remus just took a shaking C.C. in his arms, and held her as she cried. They both cried, really, the pair of friends needed to mourn their lost friend... but eventually, when the dark sky was already freckled by millions of little stars and the billowing wind made them chilly, Remus walked C.C. back to her room. Just like what had happened when Niles and her had gone to the Great Hall, the pair of friends covered the way in a heavy silence.

"See you tomorrow at the service," the werewolf gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night, Remus."

As soon as her friend had disappeared, C.C. breezed into her room, placed the box on the bed and then locked herself in the bathroom. Luckily, Niles was still out and about, which would gave her time to process the hard news Lupin had delivered; it wasn't that she didn't trust Niles, but she needed to grieve for her fiancé by in private.

C.C. had always kept a stiff upper lip – she'd always felt letting people see her sorrow was a weakness – but at least, now that she was alone, she could drop her defences for a while. The first tears appeared as soon as she turned on the water, and as the steaming water enveloped her tired body like a blanket, she allowed herself to mourn him.

Her solitude, however, didn't last for long; Niles got to their room shortly after, and instantly spotted the little black box that was laying on the bed. It had an antique emblem engraved on the lid, and –letting his curiosity get the best of him – he opened it.

The bracelets he found inside were breath-taking – each of them was made of real gold, and sized in order to fit a different person. One seemed to be sized for a man, the second for a woman and the third... for a baby. Niles took the first bracelet, and it had engraved _'Semper simul'_ , while the second read _'nunquam sine hoc_ '... those were the words he had seen in C.C.'s ring, and he finally realised what they meant.

"Always together, never apart..." he murmured. These bracelets must have been one last thing to remember Sirius by...

That was when he heard her soft cries coming from the bathroom. They were muffled by the sound of water running, but if one listened closely, they could be heard. He walked to the bathroom door, and rested his head on it, feeling helpless.

Niles sighed to himself; for all his promises to help and protect C.C. from harm, there was nothing he could do to make this sort of pain go away.

It was strange, he thought. Only a few days ago she had been his sworn enemy, but seeing this side of her life, realizing how much she had lost, changed him. He no longer desired to prank her, he felt a sudden urge to console her, protect her, to lov-

No.

No. No. No.

What was he thinking?! The woman had just lost her former fiancé! He couldn't be thinking about loving her now, especially when he knew she'd never even consider him.

But now, they weren't so different. They were no longer the butler and the socialite, but a wizard and a witch – equals. Still, he was not entirely sure how to manage his feelings for her. Since the kiss in the den he had realized he had feelings for her, but was he ready to name what they were?

But, still... the woman had just lost someone that she had definitely loved, even if it was a long time ago. And it was the man's memorial service the next day. It was completely the wrong time for him to be thinking such things. He had to be patient, and give it time, then he could try taking a chance at making his feelings known. Suddenly, he heard Miss Babcock shift in the water. "Hello? Is someone there?" she called cautiously. Niles took a few large steps back from the door, sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's only me," he replied.

"Oh, ok. I just thought... forget it," C.C. said from the bathroom.

Heaving a loud, pained sigh, the butler decided to lie down on the bed; there was no use in remaining by the door when she clearly needed privacy. Niles knew C.C. had a hard time showing her emotions, so for now he'd limit himself to being there for her when she needed him. He carefully placed the box on her pillow, changed into his pyjamas and got under the covers, soon falling into a dreamless sleep.

C.C. walked out of the bathroom almost an hour later, dressed in her pyjamas and a long robe. She noticed Niles was already asleep, so she tiptoed to her side of the bed and lay down on it. She took Sirius' box from her pillow, and clutched it against her chest.

"Mischief managed, my dearest Padfoot," she whispered before falling asleep, too, the box still pressed against her body.

* * *

The following morning Niles woke early, much as he would do at the Sheffield mansion. Only there were no breakfasts to prepare, or loads of laundry to be put on, or letters and newspaper to collect.

He didn't have to get up immediately, if he didn't wish to. The dungeon air was cold, but the bed was warm. Then his slowly-waking mind realised why; at some point in the night, he had turned over, and wrapped an arm around C.C.'s middle. In sleep, she'd probably accepted the extra warmth this provided, and had gripped his arm with one hand, pressing his chest almost entirely against her back. They were so close, they were even sharing a pillow.

Niles was not exactly sure of what to do, so he just lay there, enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms. She was so close to him that he could breathe in her scent, and some loose golden locks were tickling his nose.

He tried to move away slowly, but as soon as he tried to do so, she tightened her grip on him. "Don't let me go, Sirius," she mumbled in her sleep. "I don't want to go back to America."

Niles froze. Now, more than ever, he wanted to somehow release the grip on his arm and roll back to what should rightly be his side of the bed.

But she sounded so desperate for the comforting presence to stay...

Did it really matter if she thought it was Sirius?

So, despite the fact he wanted to leave, he remained by her side. She seemed to be having a number of dreams about Sirius, and she couldn't stop talking in her sleep. He had tuned her out, until one ground shaking sentence left her mouth, "Sirius, I can't love you, I want Niles," she muttered.

He nearly shouted " _What?!"_ , but stopped himself just in time. He had also nearly jumped up, but C.C.'s grip on his arm kept him from moving too far. He counted himself lucky for even the slight distance - he was sure at that moment his heart was beating so far out of his chest that C.C. would be able to feel it and wake up.

Could what she had just said really be true?

He knew people could say some strange things when they were dreaming, but the thought of it being more than just her dreaming state was repelling any negative thoughts about that possibility.

However, the sudden movement did wake C.C. up. The blonde producer stirred under the covers, and stretched leisurely... until she realized their position in bed. It seemed she was spooning... with none other than Niles.

She froze for a moment, gazed up at him, and found a pair of amused blue eyes looking down at her.

"If you were looking for the hot water bottle, that was not it,"

"Clearly not," she replied, still a little dazed from sleep. "Unlike you, water bottles bring people comfort." She released the slight grip she still had on his arm, and Niles retreated a little back into the space he should have occupied during the night.

"That was a terrible comeback," he pulled the blankets around himself more to keep out the chill. "I don't usually spar with anybody before my morning coffee," she turned over to face him, giving a small smile.

"I must confess, when I first saw your looks this morning, I was afraid a boggart had gotten into the bed."

"Now that's a comeback. 10 points to... what was your house?" C.C. asked, chuckling lightly.

"I was a Ravenclaw. _'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure'_ , and all that," Niles lay back on his pillow, letting out a soft chuckle.

"So you took that mantra and ran with it, thereby becoming man's greatest nuisance?"

"Oh, ha ha," Niles turned his head to give her a feigned unamused look. "That's a quick comeback, for someone who claims to not be up for it before coffee."

"I adapt easily, I am a Slytherin after all," the producer grinned. For a moment, both C.C. and Niles fell silent. If someone had told their past selves they'd be sharing a bed and talking like if they were a couple, they would have laughed in their faces. Yet here they were...

They stared at each other – Niles was feeling an urge to get closer to her, to return to the position he'd woken up in, and wrap his arms around her. But he didn't move. Something told him that even though this conversation was going well, that kind of intimacy would not be appreciated.

Unbeknownst to Niles, C.C. was craving the same thing, but there were conflicting emotions inside of her. She had travelled to Britain for Sirius' funeral, she shouldn't want to be intimate with Niles, and she wasn't sure how he'd take her advance. So they kept silent, just looking at each other. Eventually, a loud bang on the door broke the spell.

"I'll go," C.C. huffed and got up of bed. "Dammit, I should have brought warmer pyjamas," C.C. cursed under her breath Niles eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. She was wearing only a tank top and a pair of shorts that left little to the imagination...

C.C. opened the door enough to look out, only to find there was no one there. She blinked, confused, until a glint of light just below where she was looking caught her eye. A silver platter, laden with breakfast foods, was floating there. Nestled in amongst the plates was a folded note. She opened the door fully, and the tray entered the room. The producer took the note from the tray as it settled itself on the nearest bedside table, and she shut the door again, unfolding the parchment and reading aloud.

"Mr. Brightmore and Miss Babcock," she began, heading back to the warmth of the bed. "I didn't believe that you would wish to come straight down to breakfast after arriving only yesterday, most likely tired from your journeys. Instead, I arranged for the House Elves to prepare you a tray, so that you may start the day at a more leisurely pace. I believe Muggles refer to this as "room service". One more service that I shall provide is to remind you that the memorial service starts at eleven o'clock, sharp, in the Great Hall. Enjoy your breakfast. Minerva McGonagall."

"Well, it looks like Minerva has it all planned!" C.C. said cheerfully, as she observed the tray slowly descending on the bed. Niles could only mod, he was still spellbound by seeing C.C. in her pyjamas. Due to her bulky suits he had never noticed how utterly feminine her figure was. She had the perfect hourglass shape, he thought to himself. "Earth to Niles! Are you there, Niles?" C.C. barked at him.

"Sorry, my mind wandered. What did you say?"

"I asked if you want honey in your tea."

"Oh, yes. Please," he distracted himself from the daydream he'd been having by taking one of the plates, laden with bacon, eggs, and toast, from the tray and a set of cutlery. He balanced it carefully, and took some of the butter from a small serving dish to spread on the toast. C.C. held out a cup of tea for him. He settled everything down and took the cup, sipping it and placing it on the nightstand next to his side of the bed. He was trying not to think about how domestic they were both acting at this moment.

They had pleasant breakfast, mostly in silence, and just enjoying each other's company. At a quarter to eleven, C.C. walked into the closet and put her long black robes on, tightened her hair in a bun, and finally slid Sirius' engagement ring on her finger. Niles noticed this last little action, and he didn't quite know why, but it made him jealous. There had been a man who had swept C.C. off her feet, a man who had almost made her his. And their marriage was only stopped due to a war...

He wondered how things would be different if that war had never happened. Out of everything that scenario presented to him, the most important aspect always seemed to be that he never would have known C.C..

She'd be living here, in Britain. Married, probably with children of her own.

And she'd be happy.

He'd most likely still be a butler, living in New York, still with the same day-to-day existence that would not change, magic or no magic.

Would he be happy, too?

In some way, the ring meant that she'd have been happy with a man who was not him. Sirius had been her first love, he already had a special place in her heart, and seeing that ring only reminded him what he'd never had and what Sirius did. He imagined C.C. as Mrs. Black, probably with a teenage son or daughter, spending her days working and having a good time with her friends, children and husband.

But this wasn't the day for thinking about his own life. The man they were here to remember deserved his respect. Not only had he been able to make C.C. happy, he had also been a brave and good man, and starting the day envious of a relationship he hadn't been around to even witness was more than a little tactless, in his own mind. He was just thankful he hadn't worded any of this out loud by accident. He changed into a set of black robes he had found stored away in the wardrobe (that just so happened to be his size), and went to meet C.C., who was waiting outside the room for him to be ready.

As they walked to the service, Niles noticed she was distant; her eyes seemed to be lost, unfocused. This only worsened when they arrived to the Great Hall. As she had been Sirius fiancé, she sat on the place usually reserved for the spouse, while he sat at the back. She remained calm and collected for most of the ceremony, but when the moment of the eulogy came, she began to sob. There was a picture of Sirius, and an empty casket – seeing that his body had gone through the veil – at the front of the Great Hall, and once the ceremony was over, C.C. walked to it, slid the ring off and placed it over the elegant casket. "Goodbye, Sirius," she whispered before retaking her seat and watched the empty casket be taken out the room.

There was a selection of food available after the service, which a few of the mourners went to help themselves to. Most mingled with other guests, but Niles noticed C.C. slipping out through the large doors. Excusing himself from his conversation with Professor McGonagall, he followed her. He found her at the far end of the courtyard, sat under one of the archways. She saw him coming, wiped her eyes, and slid over, making room. Silently grateful for the unspoken invitation, he seated himself next to her.

"We used to sit out by the lake, on days like this," the producer sniffed, blinking around at the clear sky, and the low breeze lightly brushing the loose strands of hair which had escaped from her bun. "We'd watch the Giant Squid propelling itself across the water, and make jokes, and just enjoy the day. And now..." she dropped her gaze to the cobblestones, starting to sob again.

C.C. hid her face in her hands as she cried. Niles' left hand rubbed her back soothingly, while the other had her left hand clutched tightly in it. "We had our first kiss here," she whispered. "I was laying against his chest and he was playing with my hair. He began kissing my neck, and slowly made his way to my lips. I remember it felt like fireworks exploding."

As the producer recalled past times with her deceased friend, she slowly leaned against Niles' side, and he soon used one of his arms to envelop her shaking shoulders.

"I remember we used to plan our pranks here. James and Sirius would fool around, pissing Remus and me off. Lily would sit on James' lap, usually with a book in her hands, while Pettigrew would be sitting between James and Sirius, encouraging their brilliant minds. When Sirius and I started dating, I'd lay my head on his lap and he'd play with my hair. We'd sneak out of the castle and camp here, taking the time to just stare at the stars. Sometimes it was just me and him... alone, gazing at the immensity of the universe. We thought about what we were going to do once we had gotten married, how our kids were going to be named..."

Niles could only continue rubbing her shoulders and holding her in silence. There were so many things he could say at that moment, none of which would really provide the kind of comfort she needed. He could feel the envy for Sirius creeping in again with every word she spoke; the unwarranted burning feeling against a man who had committed no crime apart from the fact that he almost had a future with C.C.. But it was not the time for that – he had to push it away. He had to help Miss Babcock through this, the best way he knew how: letting her talk, no matter what he felt or thought.

"The first day of class of the year when he had ran away from his home, we met here and drank a whole bottle of Firewhiskey that I had smuggled by ourselves. We had so much fun! I remember we woke up snuggled under his blanket – it was worth the detention we received the following day," C.C. smiled at the memory. That night she had protected him as Sirius had cried his eyes out. She had held him close, much like Niles was holding her now. "The day I graduated, the whole gang gathered here and we had a picnic. He was awful at cooking, but he tried his best and baked me a cake. It was horrible, but I ate a piece anyway. The night before I went to America we came here, too, and spent the night together, in silence. We just wanted to be together... that was the last time I saw him before he was framed and locked up in Azkaban," her voice cracked, the hurt of that moment coming back at her.

Niles' heart broke for her, and he slowly let go of the hand he was holding, in order to envelop her in both his arms, resting his head on her shoulder.

C.C. closed her eyes, and rested her head on his. "I remember I Apparated here the night I was stunned. Remember about the incident I told you about? The one that forced me to go back to America so I could recover? Well, I had been fighting alongside Sirius and a few other members of the Order, but I was foolish, and I was reached by six Stunning Spells at once. Sirius got me out of there, and held me until Pomfrey came," C.C. shuddered at the memory; she had never experienced such an intense pain in her life. "Bellatrix had managed to Crucio me a few times before I escaped. I was out for a week," the producer whispered, her hand traveling to her left arm. She still remembered that evening as if it had happened yesterday; she had tried to save Frank and Alice Longbottom, but in turn she was tortured too... "Bella did also leave a pretty gift, actually..."

C.C. pulled up her sleeve and retired the concealing charm. Clearly, the word 'Mudblood' could be read, "She does that to all her victims. She says it shows the scum we are."

Niles winced at words that left her mouth, as well as the slur that had been crudely carved into her skin. It had been designed to cause pain long after the physical hurt had stopped; the psychological damage would always be there. The pain in Niles' chest intensified, and he could feel his eyes welling up.

"I guess that's why I became crude and cruel in New York... I was hurt, and I had endured too much pain. My fiancé was supposedly a murderer, my friends were dead, I was alone and I was shunned for being a Muggleborn. I built the Bitch of Broadway to protect myself from that," the producer turned to the butler, no longer caring if he saw her cry. She had hidden her emotions and kept a stiff upper lip for too long, and the only thing she needed now was a friend who leant her an ear and a shoulder to cry on. "I am tired Niles, tired of hiding, tired of this war... I may be a Muggleborn, but I am just as good as any other witch."

In her words, the butler found a certain courage. He straightened up, placed his hands on her shoulders, and angled her so that she had to look him in the eye. Two pairs of watery blue eyes met. "Yes, you are," he stated firmly, blinking away tears threatening to spill. "In fact, if I might say so, you're better than quite a few that I've met."

C.C. gave him a half smile, and used her thumb to wipe away a stray tear falling down his cheek. "I would have never imagined, that you of all people would comfort me through this hard times," C.C. whispered, not even trying to conceal the endearment in her voice, "You, the butler, my sparring partner, my enemy... are the rock I'm holding onto."

There was something strange in the way she looked at him, Niles noticed, it was as though she was trying to figure out something about him. For some seemingly eternal seconds, both wizards stared at each other, their faces inches apart... what was going on with them? Since they had arrived in the magical world, it was as though a big wall between them had been torn down, and now – even if they hated to say so – they couldn't hide just how much they cared for each other. What would this mean for them? What would happen to their bizarre relationship now? Both of them knew there was no point in keeping up pretending to hate each other, but were they willing to face the true nature of their emotions? Were they ready?

"War is coming Niles," the blonde producer said, breaking the silence. "A war neither of us can imagine. He is really among us, Voldemort is truly back."

As soon as those words had left her mouth, the witch stood up and glided to the edge of the lake. She took a second to contemplate the beauty of the mysterious Great Lake as she retrieved her wand from the insides of her robes.

"Darkness is coming," she let out in a whisper before turning into her Animagus form: A swan.

The beautiful animal spread her wings, and swiftly flew away.

Niles' eyes widened. Now was the time to tell him that she was also an unregistered Animagus? However, he did have to admit that the form suited her – a beautiful but angry creature that could break the bones of a grown man. He watched her fly away sadly. He supposed that, today of all days, she needed some time to be by herself, and would be back when she was ready to return. Taking one last glance over his shoulder, he made his way back to the castle, his every thought revolving around a certain blonde witch.

* * *

 **AN: And here it is the next chapter!**

 **In response to AllTheSnakes questions: He didn't transfigure his pyjamas bacause he left the house in a hurry when he realised he had overslept :) And you'll see Niles being trained in its due time *wink*.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! And for reviewing, of course!**

 **H &L**


	5. Realisations

**_Chapter 5_**

 ** _Realisations_**

C.C. flew for hours, stopping every once in a while for water. Sirius' death had her feelings all over the place, but there was something else, an emotion that had been dormant and was now hitting her full force. The producer knew it had to do with Niles... she was feeling things for the butler. But how? And why? Why now?

Only a week ago they had been nemesis, while now – after they had disclosed their true nature to the other – it was as though their very souls were bonding at a staggering pace. Why the sudden change in her feelings? Could it be that, now that she knew he was like her, she had allowed herself to be honest about what she felt for him?

Her head was swarmed with thousands of confusing thoughts as she landed again on a large hillside and shifted back into her human form. The distance and the flying had cleared her head a little bit, but there were still so many questions going through her mind, she had to rest for a second.

She sat herself on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the view of the valley, and the castle in the far distance, across the rippling surface of the lake.

Out here, it seemed easier to think about what she felt. There was nobody around to make any judgement on her decisions. The view was magnificent, the sun shone over the Scottish countryside, and a gentle breeze blew over, tangling her golden locks. She thought of all the times she had ran away from Hogwarts when she was a student, and simply flew around for hours... the large outcrop she was sat in had been one of the usual spots she had visited; many times – when she had been angry or sad – she'd fly there and just observe the landscape, just as she was doing now. There was something oddly delightful about spending some hours of solitude up there; no one or nothing could bother her, and she was free to do whatever she wanted.

Using her wand, she conjured a little flock of twittering yellow birds which zoomed around her as they chirped a song. The conjured birds soon distracted her tired mind, and her thoughts drifted back to a certain butler...

Ever since she had known Niles, she'd have never imagined he was a wizard. Granted, she had always felt there was something odd about him, but she'd have never guessed there was another magical being apart from her in the mansion! In hindsight, the signs were there, but she had been too thoughtless to see them... how many times had he seemed to finish tasks in an impossibly short time? How many times had she sensed there was something out of the ordinary in him? She had been so immersed in her own misery and in trying to forget Sirius that she had never noticed there was another being like her just under her nose.

Speaking of forgetting Sirius... was she really ready to let him go? Part of her knew that was why she had pinned after Maxwell in the first place; she knew he'd never love her, but it was a sufficient distraction. In a way, Maxwell was some sort of replacement for Sirius; the two men had similar physical traits, but in what concerned to personality... they were poles apart.

What she hadn't planned, however, was falling for Niles. It had been almost an accident, really, but since the very first day she had stepped a foot in the Sheffield mansion she had felt an almost unnatural attraction for the butler. As years had gone by, attraction turned into lust and then... what? Could it really be love?

For years she had denied herself the possibility of falling in love again, even if she knew that what she had once felt for her former fiancé was no longer there... perhaps that's why she had been so reluctant to allow Niles approach her... because she knew that if she let him in, she'd be lost. C.C. had been torn between waiting for Sirius, or letting him go for years, but since the kiss in the den it was crystal clear her affections now had a new recipient.

So it all came down to one question: Would she allow herself to explore what he felt for Niles? He had showed he cared too, if he didn't care he wouldn't have followed to Britain... perhaps it was time to open up? To allow herself to finally leave the past behind her? After all, she knew she no longer wanted – or could have – a life with Sirius, but could she possibly want one with Niles?

Her musings, however, were interrupted by the sound of a low, maniacal, cackle coming from behind her. In a millisecond, C.C.'s body tensed up, and held her wand in a vice-grip. She turned around just in time to dodge a killing curse that had been hurled at her by none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Hello, Mudblood," the dark haired witch hissed, a crooked smile playing across her lips. "Missed me?"

C.C. could feel her anger boiling up inside her, and the wand that held her hand twitched involuntarily. How had she found her?! Why was she there?! Well, the answer to the latter question was quite obvious, Bellatrix clearly wanted to murder her – which was not new – but she still couldn't understand how she had traced her. The producer couldn't help but to feel afraid – it had been ages since she had last duelled – but she masked her feelings under a façade of calmness.

"I've missed you with every bullet so far," the blonde shot back. "I see your time in Azkaban has done wonders for you, dear," C.C. said with faux sweetness and smirked when her opponent's nostrils flared.

"A small price to pay for being the Dark Lord's loyal servant," Bellatrix spat, "Unlike you, my little coward, I've been very busy fighting for a cause."

"I am not a coward," C.C. retorted, her pose becoming threatening as she stared down the woman opposite.

"Oh really?" the black haired woman sneered. "Only a coward hides for 15 years, Mudblood. And you should know that now that He is back, your world will fall."

To C.C.'s credit, she was keeping herself extremely calm and collected considering who she was facing. Bellatrix Black had haunted her dreams for years, that woman was responsible for a great deal of her sufferings, and it was safe to say that C.C. hated her even more than Sirius did, and that's saying something! The blonde witch released a humourless laugh, and shook her head. "My world isn't going anywhere. Yours, on the other hand, probably will."

The Death Eater burst into mad laughter. "Aw, the wittle mudbwood cygnet thinks she's soooo stwong!" Bellatrix capered around her opponent, but never lowered her wand. "Know this, filth; you may struggle and squirm all you wish, but in the end you will fail. And you will watch your loved ones die before you do," the Death Eater halted her dance, and flashed a cruel smile at her: time to deliver the killing blow. "And speaking of that, how was Sirius' service? I was dying to go! I knew you'd come, hence I've been hiding in the outskirts of Hogsmeade, awaiting for you."

Her opponent's words caused the desired effect on C.C., for the woman's lips twitched as she felt a flare of anger within her. So she had been planning this all along... not only Bellatrix had murdered her fiancé but she had also fallen into her trap. Well, if she thought she'd be an easy opponent to end, then she was dead wrong.

"Do tell me, Bella dear, was this little plan your idea or your master's? Because if it was, I must say I am impressed! You never were the brightest bulb in the box."

Bellatrix gave her an unamused look, and fired a spell at her, recommencing the fight. C.C. – who had never lowered her wand either – repelled it with ease, and threw her own curse at her enemy.

"Believe me, filth, my master knows what I am up to, and he gave me carte blanche to do as I please with you."

As the fight raged, both insults and curses were hurled at each other. The two witches were evenly matched, so much so that the fight only came to an impasse when an errant spell blast – nobody would be able to tell who it came from – sent both of them flying backwards.

They both scrambled to regain their feet and their wands, ready to continue the battle. C.C. was the first to fire a spell however, but as they continued their eternal cycle of attack and defend, the producer started to notice how much her body was aching. She was sure she probably had some broken ribs and judging by how much her ankle was throbbing, it was probably sprained. Bellatrix was not in the best shape either, but even though both witches were injured and knew the fight could go on indefinitely, neither was willing to back out of it.

Both witches were fighting to kill, and their eyes were focused on the other, as though their opponent was a prey they had to end.

"I have to admit it, Mudblood," Bellatrix spoke up, "You are still one hell of a dueller."

Both women shared an insincere smile, "Thank you Bella, but I do believe I need to practice my killing curse! Mind if I use it on you?"

As both insults and curses were hurled in all directions, the sun began to set, and it was them when C.C. knew she had to get out of there. She couldn't allow herself to be out of the castle at night, it was dangerous. But how could she get away? The Death Eater wasn't willing to stop fighting, and if she lowered her wand -even if it was just for a second – she'd be dead in the blink of an eye.

And it was then when a crazy idea popped in her mind... the blonde pointed her wand upwards and enchanted a number of rocks to follow Bella around and impact on her head; as a consequence, the black haired witch had to dodge the numerous rocks that were being fired in her direction. This gave C.C. the tiniest space of time to run – or well, limp – away from her enemy and Apparate away to Hogsmeade. She had to warn someone – anyone – of what had just happened.

She was in no condition to run back to Hogwarts, so, as soon as Hogsmeade materialised around her, she turned back into her swan form and flew in the direction of the Headmaster's office. Of course her sudden and frankly tempestuous entrance startled both Albus and Minerva, who had were about to go to the Great Hall for supper.

"Miss Babcock! What happened to you?!" Minerva asked her as the producer limped to the nearest chair after having shifted back to her human form.

"I...I flew out into the valley. I had a little...encounter involving our mutual acquaintance, Bellatrix Lestrange," the producer huffed, exhausted from the speed of her flight and the bruises of her fight with Bellatrix starting to come to the surface, aching and make her limbs heavy.

"You what?! When?! How?! Are you alright?!" Minerva ran to her former student clutching at her heart. The older woman had her heart in her mouth as she dashed to her former student.

"Minerva that is enough!" Albus snapped. "This is no time to ask questions, take her to Poppy at once, she needs medical attention."

Minerva – who had just managed to compose herself – nodded at her superior, and helped C.C. up. "Now hold onto me, lass," Minerva said as she walked C.C. out of the office and headed towards the Hospital wing.

The producer tried to put on a brave face and endure the pain, but the ache in her body increased with every step she took, and eventually Minerva had to levitate her the rest of the way.

"Minerva! What on Earth happened to her?!" Poppy Pomfrey shrieked as she jumped out of her desk and cleared a bed for the new patient.

"Bellatrix happened," the elder witch grumbled and lowered C.C. onto the bed Poppy had just assigned her.

The nurse quickly got to her bedside, and used her wand to examine her condition. The producer could tell Poppy was upset by the deep frown she was sporting, but as the result of the examinations appeared, she noticed the nursed started to relax.

"She has a few broken ribs, bruises, a sprained ankle and a dislocated shoulder," the nurse declared as she shifted her wand to C.C.'s ribs. "Luckily, mending broken bones is a specialty of mine. Please hold still," C.C. did as she was bid, vaguely reminded of a Quidditch accident she'd had when she was about thirteen or fourteen. "Apiski!" Madam Pomfrey muttered. C.C. felt a sharp crack, yelped in pain, and a rib sprang back into place.

"Better, dear?" Pomfrey asked.

"Much better, thank you. I feel like I was hit by a bludger!" C.C. groaned.

"Well, we'd better see to the others, and then to that ankle, too," the school nurse nodded. "The bruises will just have to heal by themselves, I'm afraid. Rest should do it, but I might have a salve somewhere to take away the pain," Poppy turned to Minerva and gestured for her to approach the bed "Hold her in place, I have to fix her shoulder now."

"I've probably been in worse shapes after an afternoon at my job, let alone Quidditch matches," C.C. murmured sardonically as Minerva took her place next to her.

"Alright, here we go! Apiski!"

"HOLY CRAP!" C.C. yelled as the bone went back to its proper place. Hadn't McGonagall been there, she'd probably jumped out of bed.

"Watch your mouth, Miss Babcock."

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey," she mumbled which soon became a chuckle. "Whaddya know, this is just like being back at school..."

"You did give me a lot of work when you were here. You and your little friends," the old nurse grimaced "Especially When it came to pranks gone wrong."

"What can I say Poppy, we were Marauders, after all," the blonde smirked, finally relaxing on her bed after Minerva had pilled some pillows behind her. There was a moment of silence, and then C.C. spoke up again. "Also, to be fair, more of them worked than went wrong."

"Mm. I'm sure they did," Madam Pomfrey gave her a disbelieving look.

The three women were suddenly startled by the loud bang of the doors being swung open, and they immediately spotted a frantic Niles running towards C.C.'s bed.

"Niles? Calm down! What's got your panties in a knot?" C.C. asked him nonchalantly, sinking back into her pillows.

"I heard about what happened, I..." the butler looked between C.C. –who was now lying comfortably on the bed – Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey.

"I was...uh..."

Worried?" C.C. smirked, the amusement in her voice barely concealed.

"Well... I was naturally concerned... Um, I must admit." Niles babbled, blushing furiously as he stroked his nape.

"Oh this is too good!" the producer said before letting out a loud cackle. The two older witches couldn't help but to stare at the pair in mild confusion, for it seemed the producer was enjoying taunting the butler about his concern for her, while the latter's face had turned into a marvellous shade of crimson. "You old softy! You were actually worried about me! Niles you are such a mother hen. When we get back to New York I won't let you hear the end of it."

Niles eyed the two older women, who were looking faintly amused at what C.C. just said. Then he turned his attention back to the younger woman on the bed. "Well, yes, maybe I am something of a mother hen!" he blurted out. "You fly off to God knows where for hours, and you come back hurt, claiming to have fought a Death Eater and end up in the Hospital Wing, and you don't expect me to display even a little concern?!"

"You've gone soft with age Rubbermaid. Certainly, the Niles who left me locked outside during a thunderstorm wouldn't have been so worried,"

Both Minerva and Poppy shot questioning glances at Niles. "You left her outside during a thunderstorm?" Poppy asked in disbelief.

"Yes, but that was a few years ago...now... And well, maybe this is different!" he ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "Or maybe I'm different now, I don't know anymore..." the three women stared at him, until he caved in, sighing and hiding his face in one of his hands. "I'm sorry, alright? I have no right to come in here, being concerned for you, when just a few years ago, I wouldn't have cared at all."

Something resembling to tenderness flickered in her eyes before the producer beckoned for the butler to near her bed. Hesitantly, the middle aged man did as he was bid, and almost couldn't hide his surprise when the producer took his hand in hers and stroked it with her thumb. "What I mean, Niles," C.C. flashed a gentle smile at him. "Is that I find your concern quite endearing."

Coughing awkwardly, Minerva asked Poppy for a private word in her office, and the two older women left them to it. Niles, meanwhile, smiled down at C.C., squeezing her hands appreciatively. "You are feeling better, aren't you?"

"Yes I am, thank you. The fight wasn't bad, I was just agitated. Bellatrix just came to deliver threats and tried to kill me, nothing out of the ordinary," she waved a dismissive hand, resting importance to the encounter with her old enemy.

"I should have known a succubus like you wouldn't be easy to take down."

"Damn straight, mister."

That night, while everybody slept soundly – including Niles, who was sitting on a chair by her bedside with his hand clutched in hers – found the producer musing over the events of that day.

Who would have believed – she thought to herself as she lifted her gaze from their joined hands to his sleeping face – that Niles of all people would be the one to help her through this hard times? They'd known each other for so long, but had never really made much of an effort to bond beyond the occasional event where one of them required a date, and their usual thrown zingers. Not to get her wrong, that was one of the things that brought a form of joy to her everyday life, but they had been closer since the revelation that they were both magical, and intimate things like sharing the bed, and holding each other after Sirius' memorial service, and even just holding hands like they were right then just proved it. And even if she didn't say so out loud, she was, in a way.

Perhaps a lot more than she thought.

Maybe in the next few days, there would be an opportunity to have more moments like this. She lay back down properly, closing her eyes and smiling, enjoying the feeling of Niles' hand around hers.

* * *

 **AN: So, here goes another one! We have another one coming, so enjoy:P Just for you to know, we've already finished writing this story, and it will have 33 chapters (Including the epilogue). Hope you like the chapter and we thank you for reading our story! We do also appreciate reviews:)**

 **H &L**


	6. Love in the time of magic

**_Chapter 6_**

 ** _Love in the time of magic_**

For the next few actually frustrating days, Madam Pomfrey kept her for observation, and didn't let Niles stay too long each visit, claiming that she didn't want another patient on her hands because he hadn't been sleeping properly in a bed. Niles replied that she could allow him to sleep in another bed in the wing, but that was met with an unimpressed stare. C.C. was nearly bouncing up and down on the bed the morning she knew she was due to be discharged, anxious to get up and finally back to what she called "actually living life". Niles had come to meet her, and chuckled at her eagerness to leave.

"Poppy, please, you've already checked my vitals three times this morning, I assure you I am alright!" C.C. huffed, pushing the old nurse's wand away.

"Stay still," the nurse warned her. "Or I'll make you stay here for another day, and you know I will."

C.C. scowled, reluctantly lying back down on the bed. She knew the process by heart, after all the times she had ended up in hospital – both as a student and during the first war – the blonde witch had learnt one or two things about magical healing.

"There, all done! Now, please, am I allowed to go?"

"Yes, you may go. Try not to end up here again. You still need to take care of yourself and relax. I will make sure Mr. Brightmore sees to that."

C.C. scoffed at the nurse "Why the need to tell Hazel what I should do? I am a grown woman, Pomfrey."

"Miss Babcock, I know you like the back of my hand, and I am certain you are not going to rest. So, as you seem to listen to Mr. Brightmore, I'll ask him to keep an eye on you. Now leave, the day is beautiful, go enjoy it."

The nurse wasn't wrong – the sunlight had been streaming in through the window all morning, and C.C. did feel like getting some fresh air... Niles seemed to almost read her mind, and offered her an arm, "It is rather sunny out. Care to take a walk with me, Babcock?"

Wanting to, but at the same time wanting to at least pretend to put up a fight about having to spend time with Niles, C.C. pursed her lips and affected reluctance as she slipped her arm though his, "I guess... At least I'll prove to you I'm not a vampire, seeing as we're going out in the sun. You're no longer going to be able to use those zingers on me," she chuckled.

"Thank you for pointing out you have something to win here," Niles said, giving her an unimpressed look.

"Oh come on, Hazel; it wouldn't be me if I didn't evaluate what I can take from you."

The pair walked away bickering, both visibly happier now that they were together. Poppy observed the former students with a small smile on her lips. It had been years since the nurse had seen C.C. so happy, not to mention Niles.

When he was a student, he had been a shy lad. He had a small group of friends and occasional girlfriends, but he was always reserved and a bit of a loner. To make matter worse, just after he finished school, his father had died and he had been forced to work as a Muggle butler.

He never had the chance to find what really made him happy. But seeing the two of them together made Poppy realise that this could very well be the chance she thought he'd missed, all those years ago.

And frankly, those two would never be bored together. She clearly remembered C.C., both because of the amount of times she had landed in the Hospital Wing, and because of the reputation she had amassed as a marauder. The blonde woman was a force to be reckoned with, and it seemed she had found her equal.

After all, Mr. Brightmore was able to out prank a Marauder...

She chuckled at the thought, and went back into her office. She'd heard over lunch that Minerva and Albus had a bet going about when Miss Babcock and Mr. Brightmore would eventually get married. She wondered if she could put a few galleons in for herself.

Meanwhile, Niles and C.C. had made their way out of the castle, and were busy deciding which direction to head in. "Well, Miss Babcock, it's your first day of freedom since your...altercation," Niles clapped his hands together. "I think it's only fair you decide where we go. The lake? Hogsmeade? Somewhere else?"

C.C. smirked, and walked in the direction of the Whomping Willow without emitting a word. Niles eyed her warily, not understanding exactly what she wanted to do.

"Miss Babcock-"

"Niles, we are at Hogwarts, you might as well call me by my nickname, Babs."

"Ok, Babs," Niles couldn't help but smile, he had called her that before, but never with her permission. "You do realize we are going to the Whomping Willow? Right?"

"I am well aware Butler Boy. Now stand back," C.C. took her wand out, and pointed it at a particular knot on the tree, "Immobilus!"

Niles stared, astounded, as the Willow halted in its tracks before it could start waving its branches.

"Move it along, Hazel, we don't have all day!" C.C. commanded, and walked into a little cave behind the tree.

He followed her into the mouth of the cave, peering into the darkness that he could just about see C.C. disappearing into. They walked through a narrow path – which C.C. seemed to know by heart – hand in hand; it seemed the cave was far bigger – well, longer – than he had imagined when he first saw the entrance.

"Might I ask where we are going?" he eventually asked.

"You'll see. Just be patient."

Finally, they got to an old house; Niles looked around him in astonishment, the place seemed to have been some kind of clubhouse.

"Here we are! Tell me, do you recognize this place?" C.C. asked him.

"No...should I?" he rubbed the back of his head as he studied the place. It was definitely abandoned, and looked like it could collapse but wouldn't because it was so set on its foundation. And they were quite a way away from the castle grounds. Maybe somewhere around Hogsmeade...that was when it occurred to him. "Babs, are we in the Shrieking Shack?"

"Bingo, Butler Boy! Welcome to the Marauders' hideout! We spent a lot of time in here!"

Several emotions flickered across the butler's face, but the most noticeable were utter surprise and slight fear. It was completely understandable, C.C. thought, the Shrieking Shack had a reputation of being the most haunted house in Britain (although she knew it was tall tale). The poor man staggered to an old mattress laying near the entrance, but just before he sat himself on it, the blonde witch gave a little yelp and prevented him from doing so.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she stuttered, a slight blush creeping to her cheeks. "On that mattress, well... you can imagine... four boys, and their girlfriends... do the math."

Grimacing, Niles immediately stood up straight again, grateful he hadn't actually managed to touch the shabby thing, "I get the picture. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Hazel. Now come with me, we used to hang out in the next room, which back then was cleaner. I suppose now it's just as unkempt as this one."

He tried to remove the mental image by distracting himself with another look around the room. C.C. seemed to be keeping her distance and looking away from him, most probably reminiscing about her own time at school, and all the memories she had of the house. Niles noticed on the wall there were a bunch of names craved:

'Lily+James'

'Remus+ Marlene'

' Peter+ Joan'

'Sirius+CC'.

He must have been staring at them for a while, because he was brought out of it by C.C. clicking her fingers in his ear.

"Hey. You coming into the other room, Dust Buster?" she seemed eager to show him the house, and she tugged on his sleeve. "I know it's hard for you to walk past a mess which you don't have to clean up, but there's still a lot to see, and we're burning daylight, here!"

"Uh, yes, sure," Niles mumbled, following C.C. into the next room as he listened to her endless stories about her days as a Marauder. It seemed everything had an anecdote attached to it.

Eventually, the pair ended up in what had once been the house's living room. Underneath the dust, and the rubble from where the wall had nearly come down at some point, there was still furniture in place – ancient and moth-eaten upholstered seats that would probably collapse if so much as looked at the wrong way, all set around a low table that had given way at some moment long ago, and a fireplace that had been filled with broken stones, bits of wood, and a few leaves from what Niles could only assume had been last autumn.

"Here we are! The main area of the house. This completes our tour," with a flick of her wand, C.C. tidied up the room and lit a fire in the little fireplace.

"Who would have said it," Niles smirked, "C.C. Babcock can actually do some housework!"

"I'm a woman of many talents," she replied proudly as she carefully took a seat on the sofa, relaxing more as it became apparent the thing wouldn't break.

Niles lingered in the doorframe for several more seconds. There were so many things he didn't know about the woman who was sat before him... only after fifteen years of knowing her he was allowed to see the person behind the façade she had carefully built up over the years, and part of him wondered what secrets were still to be uncovered.

"Well, aren't you sitting down?" she asked, patting the empty place by her side.

Immediately, the butler arched an eyebrow at her, no doubt getting ready to throw one of his ever so delightful zingers at her, "I am not sure, Babs. I doubt the sofa will support my weight seeing as it's already supporting a half-ton heifer."

"Ha ha, that coming from a butler shaped like a drum," she shot back, staring at him in an unimpressed manner.

The butler rolled his eyes skyward, but he eventually ambled to the little sofa and sat by her side. Only after he had settled in his seat did he notice just how close they were; their thighs were almost touching, and her smell was intoxicating.

"Niles," the blonde witch broke the silence, "Do you use magic when you work for Maxwell?"

"...Sometimes, if there is a lot to do," he shrugged a little, feeling slightly awkward. He had never admitted that to anyone, and felt like he had cheated at something somehow. "Only when nobody is around, though. Why do you ask?"

"Because I can't understand why you chose to be a butler when you are a wizard. I have to work as a Muggle because I escaped from a war... but what about you?" C.C. stretched leisurely, and leaned against Niles. The butler was surprised by this, but he gladly accepted the situation, and draped an arm around her shoulders. Feeling more comfortable, and more able to share with her, Niles took a deep breath, and began to explain. "My father died when I was seventeen. In order to support my family, I had to find whatever work I could, straight away. That just so happened to come in the form of an old Muggle family requiring a butler. The pay seemed fair, and it came with room and board, which meant that there would be less having to be spent on another person at home. I keep some of my pay, and the rest goes to help my relatives."

As soon as he'd said this, he turned to look at the fire C.C. had made for them, staring into the flames.

C.C. couldn't help but gawk at him, suddenly feeling extremely embarrassed for having taunted him about his job during the past years. Niles hadn't chosen to be a butler, he had had no choice... After all, what could a recently graduated wizard with no training do to feed his family? He had had to accept the first offer he got. It saddened her to know he had wasted his talents due to his family's economic hardships...

Not knowing exactly what to say, C.C. did what she felt it was natural: she took his hand in hers and squeezed it. Her action surprised the now melancholic butler, but it was more than welcome. He knew that gesture meant a lot coming from the blonde woman, and as they drifted into another impasse in their conversation, Niles began stroking her knuckles with his thumb.

They didn't know for how long they remained silent, but there was something absolutely comforting about being in each other's company; words weren't needed, they just knew...

It was clear for both of them their relationship had evolved, now that they knew what they were. After years of solitude, and feeling estranged from their own world, they had found solace in the fact they were the same. Both of them had lost a lot, but now they had each other. This new discovery, however, meant thing would have to change around the mansion. The Sheffields could no longer be kept ignorant of what they were, much less if they planned on taking part in the war. It wouldn't be fair, C.C. thought, and they deserved to know.

"Niles..." she tentatively spoke, "I think we should tell the family what we are. If there is a war coming and you insist on fighting by my side, we may have to disappear, we may have to put them under the Fidelius Charm, or even ask them to go away! They have the right to know, they are your family and my friends – yes even Nanny Fine, don't look so surprised."

"I don't know, Babs... don't you think it would be better to just erase their memories and go away?" he offered, his eyes drifting back to the flames. The mere thought of leaving the Sheffields was tearing at his heart, but if that kept them safe then he'd do it.

"B-but, they are your family!" C.C. protested, resting her head on his shoulder. "And where will you live? What about your job?"

"I..I... well," Niles took a deep breath, and shrugged. "I don't know... I guess I'll start looking for another job and-"

"No you won't," the witch interrupted him. "Niles, I've been through a war before, and trust me, there is no need to cut them off from our lives! There are ways to protect them without you having to renounce to your family... you do have a choice. You can leave me behind and go back to them. I know they are more imp-" C.C. was silenced by Niles, who had placed his finger on her lips. The man was staring at her with an unparalleled intensity, and as seconds went by, both noticed just how hot the room had become, and how dry their mouths were feeling.

"Don't even try, Babcock. I won't leave you behind," he declared in a steel voice.

"But why?" she asked, her expression denoting how disconcerted she was. "Why do you want to risk your life? Why now? Why do you want to be by my side?"

Niles took her face in his hands, and carefully rested their foreheads together. "Because..." he swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, "because I care too much for you. I won't let you put yourself in danger, I can't allow you to get yourself killed..."

Both Niles and C.C. stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly, neither of them knowing who approached the other first, their lips joined in a kiss. It was much like the one they had shared the night Fran had gone out to meet her pen pal, only this time alcohol had nothing to do with it.

Niles' heart began to pound as he deepened the kiss further, his arm sliding from the back of the sofa to wrap around her back, and the other hand settling just above her knee, on her thigh.

C.C.'s used one hand to cup his face as she opened her mouth to allow his tongue to slip inside, the other arm sliding around his neck and holding him there. A moan escaped Niles' throat, and the hand that had been close to her knee slid further up her thigh. He broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and planted more kisses along her jaw and neck. C.C. gasped softly as he did this, her breath tickling his ear.

"Are you sure?" he whispered into her ear.

She nodded.

They lost track of how long they kissed, but eventually Niles ended up laying on his back, with C.C. stretched over him. He had his arms wrapped around her tiny waist, and hers were draped around his neck. They were enjoying the silence, and revelling in being together.

"What does this mean for us?" C.C. asked him, nuzzling his cheek.

"I don't exactly know... I guess it means that we are together, if you want."

"I think... I think I want," C.C. smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"You know what?" he murmured back, beaming and gently tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "So do I."

His fingers lingered against her cheek, revelling in the warmth and comfort of the moment.

They spent their afternoon cuddled together on the sofa, kissing and talking. Both blondes were on cloud nine; it was nice to finally we open about what they felt. They returned to the castle together, only this time Niles' arm was around her waist. The pair walked past by Dumbledore, Minerva and Severus.

Both elders smiled, and Severus just scoffed. "Minerva, I understand you have a bet going on. I am in," Severus murmured in his low silky voice.

The couple didn't hear them. They were too caught up in enjoying the day together. That's how it was going to be from now on, looming war or not. When the time came, they'd fight side by side, too. The Death Eaters wouldn't know what had hit them. And then, maybe when the war was over, they'd return to New York, and to the lives they had led before all of this. An altered version, of course. There would be much to sort out with the Sheffields, and new living arrangements to be made. But that could wait. It could all wait. For now, the days were to be filled with love, started in rivalry and grown in magic.

Around evening, the couple was laying comfortably in bed, awaiting dinner. They had asked McGonagall for the House Elves to send it to their room. C.C. was sitting in between Niles' legs, propped up against his broad chest, and their hands were entwined.

"Could you imagine what Maxwell or Nanny Fine would say if they saw us now?"

"They'd be horrified; the sight of us together is a clear sign of the apocalypse!" the butler teased.

The new couple shared a light laugh, and fell into a comfortable silence again. Niles closed his eyes and sighed. These last days had been amazing; he had finally confessed his love for the woman who was currently in his embrace, there had been no cleaning to do, no serving Mr. Sheffield...

Oh bloody hell...

Niles jolted upright, startling C.C.. "What's wrong Butler Boy?" the blonde asked, worry evident in her voice.

"Mr. Sheffield! I never told him we would be gone! They have no clue where we are!"

Both adults jumped out of bed, and ran to the wardrobe. "Stupid man! Let's get changed and Apparate back to New York," C.C. grumbled, putting her emerald green robes on.

"C.C., why are you dressing up as a witch?"

"We might as well tell them everything now," C.C. retorted, tightening her hair into a bun and putting on her hat before both wizards breezed out of their room.


	7. To New York and Back

**_Chapter 7_**

 ** _To New York And Back_**

A loud crack echoed through the empty streets of New York when two cloaked figures appeared out of thin air before the imposing Sheffield mansion. The two individuals only prayed they hadn't been seen by any Muggles or they'd have to lose precious time modifying memories – a hassle neither of them wanted to deal with. Both wizards prowled to the entryway, and stood before the mahogany door, not daring to knock on it.

Were they really doing this? Were they really going to tell two unsuspecting Muggles about their wonderful but dangerous world? Perhaps, just perhaps, they could slither into the mansion and modify their memories, making them forget about the existence of both C.C. Babcock and Niles Brightmore... they'd be safe wouldn't they? They'd be protected.

But they knew they couldn't do that, it felt wrong, awfully wrong. Because, what if the war didn't happen? What if they managed to stop Voldemort in time? What would they tell Maxwell and Fran when they returned them their memories? The scenario of the war being stopped was an idyllic and frankly nearly impossible, but they could dream...

The first wizard to snap out of his musings was Niles, whose eyes darted to the regal blonde by his side; now that he knew just how powerful she was he couldn't help but to wonder how he had missed the fact that she was a witch for so many years. The extent of her power was still unknown to him, but he was certain she was not someone you'd want to duel. Delving into the insides of his robes, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door knob.

" _Aloho-_ "

"Stop," she suddenly said, pushing his hand down. "We better knock on the door. I don't want them to start questioning how we got in, we have enough things to explain as it is."

Niles pondered over her words for a second, but he finally relented and put his wand back into his robes. He looked back at her, and felt his heartbeat increasing, suddenly not feeling sure about what they were going to do. C.C. sensed this, and loosely laced their fingers together and pecked his lips.

"Are we really doing this?" he asked, his voice sounding small.

"Yes, we are," the producer rose her free hand to the doorbell, but before she could push the button he stopped her.

"Wait. Don't you think that we might be being a little too hasty in how much we're telling them? It'll be quite enough of a shock to learn that we're together, let alone-"

"Niles," she cut him off in a low and mildly wobbly voice. "I already explained, we might as well get it all out in the open now. We could drag this out for years, and that's time we don't have," a silence hung in the air after that. C.C. coughed awkwardly, and adjusted her robes. "This war could take us away for a long time," she said eventually, her eyes focused on the ground. "It wouldn't be fair to them to just drop a bombshell like that and then leave. This way, they at least get a chance to get used to the idea."

Truth was that he wanted to argue, to tell her that... that... he wasn't ready... he wasn't ready to disclose who he really was to Maxwell and Fran. For over thirty years he had been just a butler, just a regular guy with a slightly unusual job and that was about it. How would Max react to them being magical? Would he distrust them? Would he fear them? What if he asked them to leave and never come back? The Sheffields were his family, and part of him feared that the unveiling of his true nature would estrange him from them. But, he begrudgingly admitted, C.C. had a point – they couldn't leave loose strings, and running away with C.C. and leaving an unprotected Sheffield family behind would be doing so. Heaving a sigh in a fruitless attempt to soothe his frazzled nerves, he finally allowed his partner to ring the bell. Not even a minute later, they heard a loud, adenoidal voice crying out a familiar "I'll get it!" and the sound of heels clicking against the polished floor followed soon after.

"It's just me or she sounds awfully like a mandrake?" Niles grumbled, rubbing his hand against his temple, as though trying to nurse a headache.

"Not just you, Hazel."

When the front door was opened, it took Fran some moments to recognise the two individuals before her. Niles had to stifle a laugh, he never thought he'd live to see the day when Fran Fine was rendered speechless by something. The nanny looked between them several times in unmistakable astonishment before giving a step back and leaning against the doorway. Niles could almost feel the nanny's frantic eyes scanning their odd attire, and was sure that a million and one questions were being conceived in her mind. What shocked Fran the most, however, wasn't their attire or the strange stick in C.C.'s hand, but the fact that the producer and the butler were holding hands...

"Hello, Nanny Fine," C.C. greeted the woman with a slightly forced smile. Fran blinked owlishly, all coherent thought momentarily lost on her. "Might we be allowed to come in?"

"Uh..." the nanny's voice began its journey back, and she slowly shook herself out of her daze. "Yeah...yeah..." she moved away from the door, and allowed the couple in, looking their strange attire up and down as they went past.

The couple ambled to the sitting room, still holding hands and slowly realising that their previous uneasiness had morphed into childlike giddiness. The sole expression on Fran's face was priceless, and they felt laughter slowly bubbling up inside them when they wondered what Max's expression would be...

And speaking of the British producer, the pair soon heard the unmistakable footsteps of Maxwell Sheffield nearing the room.

"Miss Fine, who was at the-" Maxwell bellowed, walking into the sitting room, a half-read script in his hand. His mussed clothes and dishevelled hair contrasted with usually immaculate and tidy appearance, and they noticed he seemed to be at the edge of his temper. It was not surprising, C.C. thought to herself, after all they had been away for ten long days and she was sure Maxwell was drowning in paperwork and struggling to manage the company on his own.

Maxwell froze as soon as he spotted the couple; he remained rooted to the spot, his mouth dumbly agape, not being able to find his voice and unsure of what to do.

"Well," C.C. sneered, "Aren't you going to say hi?"

The blonde producer soon regretted her choice of words, for they seemed to strike a nerve. Maxwell stalked to the pair, a glower on his usually calm factions, and tossed the script with such force the pages flung into the air and ended up scattered all over the sitting room.

"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?!" Maxwell yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at them. "WE'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK FOR ALMOST 11 DAYS AND YOU JUST WALK IN AND SAY 'HI'? Well, let me tell you, I won-"

Maxwell's rant was soon cut short by an annoyed C.C. – who had taken out her wand from her pocket – and with a quick flick of it she locked her associate's lips. The Englishman suddenly had a panicked expression on his face, and tried fruitlessly to unstick his lips.

"Babcock, don't do that!" Niles hissed as he used his own wand to lift the curse.

Tentatively, Maxwell exhaled a breath and began feeling his slightly numb lips. Fran – who had been observing the scene in silent shock – swiftly backed away from them, eyes wide with alarm. "What the hell was that?!" she demanded, hiding behind a pallid and trembling Maxwell. "What the hell did you just do?!"

"Oh, relax. It might have been a curse, but it was only temporary," C.C. waved a dismissive hand as she lowered her elegant wand. "I've been wanting to do that to him for years," she addressed Niles in an undertone.

"That didn't make it the right thing to do," Niles retorted, fighting the urge to groan. Not only they had a lot to explain to their Muggle friends, but now they probably were scared beyond measure. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, they weren't supposed to tease poor, unsuspecting Muggles!

"It got their attention, didn't it?" C.C. gestured at Fran and Maxwell, who were indeed practically glued to the places they stood.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Maxwell screamed, enlarging the distance between them and Niles and C.C.. The British producer had his heart in his mouth, and struggled to find a reasonable explanation to what had happened... but there was no logical way to explain any of what he had seen or experienced, and the only word that popped in his mind was 'magic'.

"It's a simple spell actually, I learnt it in second year," C.C. spoke up, bringing Maxwell's attention back to her.

"And you excel at it because you are a harpy," Niles grumbled, glaring at the blonde woman. His comment, however, earned him a swat on his head.

"Shut up Niles, I could kick your ass in a duel."

"That's because you were taught by Merlin himself!"

As the bickering escalated, Maxwell rose a hand and cleared his throat. He had to try a couple of times before the two stopped to pay attention. He couldn't understand many of the insults they volleyed back and forth, but he caught some loose words such as 'boggart', 'dementor', 'harpy', among an array of colourful, yet unknown, insults. When the blonde couple finally quieted down, Maxwell spoke up again. "Would you two mind explaining what the hell is going on here? You're talking about spells and Merlin, and waving wands and wearing cloaks, and you haven't even stopped to consider the fact that you haven't explained yourselves before going right back to where you left off before the pair of you disappeared!"

Both Niles and C.C. looked between Fran and Max, who had twin horrified expressions. "Ah yes, let me explain Max." C.C. began, and conjured four chairs, scaring their Muggle friends further. "As you can see," she started in a tremulous voice, "We are both a witch and a wizard, which means we can do magic, if you didn't know," the blonde added glancing over at Fran, a sarcastic hint in her tone.

"Was that aimed at me?" the nanny questioned, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"She's dumber than a troll," C.C. hissed at Niles.

"Behave, Babcock." Niles hissed back.

"Hang on a minute, you two. Stay on track," Maxwell reminded, still not moving from the place he had been standing on since the couple's arrival. Fran was also still hidden behind him, and Niles could tell she was enjoying the liberty of being able to drape her arms around the dark-haired millionaire.

C.C. tried to go on, but words wouldn't come out. There were so many things to explain, so many things the two Muggles needed to be told about that it was almost overwhelming. They had to tell them about Hogwarts, the first war, who C.C. was...

Or perhaps – C.C. thought to herself as she allowed a triumphant half-smile to play across her lips – she could show them! Scrambling to her feet, she ambled to her friends – who had to resist the urge to back away – and retrieved a funny-looking silver object from the insides of her robes. The two Muggles eyed the thing, a glint of curiosity sparking their eyes.

"W-what are you? What's that silvery thing?" Maxwell asked, taking a step towards C.C..

C.C. flashed a benevolent smile at her friend (or at least tried to do so...) and let go of the silvery thing. To Max and Fran's further astonishment, the thing didn't fall to the floor, in turn it remained suspended in the air as its appearance began to morph. The two Muggles observed in awe how it took the appearance of a shallow metal basin filled with a silvery substance that appears to be cloud-like.

"What's this? Some kind of mirror?" Fran peered at the surface.

"You'll see, Miss Fine. Just be patient," Niles replied gently, pulling her away from the device.

"This," C.C. explained as she put her wand to her temple and pulled a long, silvery string from it and dropped it inside the basin. "Is a Pensieve, which is a device used to review memories. I think the easiest way to explain everything is if I show you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Fran quavered, "Lemme get this straight... we are going to see your memories?"

Both Niles and C.C. nodded, and beckoned for the two Muggles to peer at the surface. "That's right, Nanny Fine, it will be quicker and you'll understand things better. Now, everybody look into the Pensieve," the blonde ordered and leaned forward.

Hesitantly, both Fran and Max did so, and the four individuals were absorbed into the silvery liquid.

Instantly, the four individuals landed in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. _The enormous gathering area was lit by thousands of candles that were floating in mid-air over four long tables. When they looked upwards, the Muggles saw a velvety black sky, and for a moment they believed the ceiling was open on to the heaven. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, and at the top of the hall there was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Right in the middle of this fifth table there was a throne-like chair were an elderly man with twinkling blue eyes and a long silvery beard was sat. There also was a stool with a raggedy old hat on top of it placed in front of the teacher's table, and a stern-looking woman with jet-black hair stood behind it, a yellowish parchment in her hands._

 _There was a group of tiny boys and girls lined up in the middle of the hall, and first in line there was a skinny blonde girl with bright blue eyes. The first one to spot her was Niles, and he smiled at the young version of C.C.. She had been a sweet child, and in her eyes he could see the excitement caused by the magnificence of the castle. He did also spot both James and Sirius sat on Gryffindor table; C.C.'s ex-fiancé was eyeing her with interest, and nudged his friend in the side before whispering something in his ear._

"What is this place?!" Fran asked, a look of utter amazement on her face.

"This is Hogwart's Great Hall, and we'll now see the sorting ceremony," C.C. replied.

Sensing the silent request of clarification, Niles picked up on the explanation about the wondrous school. "Hogwarts is a school for witches and wizards. All magical children born in the UK attend this school. Both C.C. and I were students there. When each student starts their schooling, they are sorted into one of the four houses according to their personality, talents and traits; the aforementioned Houses are: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

"And to which one of them did you two belong to?" Maxwell asked, genuinely curious.

"I was a Ravenclaw, and – if you pay attention – you'll soon discover Babcock's House," the butler pointed at the stern looking woman, who had just called C.C.'s name.

 _Young C.C. practically skipped to the stool, and allowed the older witch to put the battered hat on her head._

 _Suddenly_ – and causing both Max and Fran to jump in fright – _the shabby hat came to life and began talking to C.C.. They couldn't quite hear what it was saying, but it didn't take long for it to reach a decision._

 _"Slytherin!" the hat cried out and a loud cheer was heard coming from the far right table. C.C. allowed the hat to be removed from her head, strutted to her table and sat herself next to a skinny black-haired boy with an unusually large nose and greasy hair. What followed after the sorting ceremony was a long, and frankly bizarre, song which was cheerfully sung by the students (and some teachers too). After the song had ended and the hat had been removed from the Great Hall, the elderly man stood from his throne-like chair and cleared his throat._

 _"Welcome to another magical year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore began, looking around the Hall, smiling whenever he made eye contact with the still dazed first years. "I won't bore you with a long and pointless speech, but there are a few rules you must know..."_

"Who's that, Scarecrow?" Fran asked.

"That is professor Dumbledore," Niles explained, looking at the old man standing before the throne-like golden chair "And that," he added, pointing at the stern looking witch that was sat at Dumbledore's right. "Is Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore is Hogwarts' Headmaster and he's also one of the most powerful wizards to have ever lived."

 _"... having cleared that up, I believe it's finally time for the Start-Of-Term Feast to begin!" Dumbledore flourished his wand, and suddenly a wide variety of aliments – going from roast beef to peppermint humbugs – appeared out of thin air, eliciting a gasp from the students, who immediately dug in._

The two muggles watched the Great Feast in amazement, and gingerly walked around observing the wonderful sight before them.

"It's...magnificent..." Maxwell was almost too stunned to talk as he looked around. "All of it..."

"And we are not nearly done yet!" C.C. piped up, a mischievous smirk on her lips.

The Great Hall faded away, and the four friends suddenly found themselves flying in the air. Max and Fran yelped, momentarily fearing that they'd fall down, but to their surprise they remained suspended in the air. Fran was the first to spot C.C., who was flying expertly on a broom with a strange brown ball safely tucked under her arm. _Soon enough, a dark-haired boy zoomed in front of young C.C., and snatched the ball from her, almost making her lose her balance._

 _"Fuck you, Potter!" C.C. yelled, chasing after the black-haired boy._

 _"My, my, Babs! What a dirty little mouth," James teased, before diving to the goalposts and scoring a goal._

"What's this?!" Fran shrunk against Max's side. He put an arm around her comfortingly.

"This is Quidditch. It's a sport, played on broomsticks," Niles explained.

"I was my House's star Chaser," C.C. gestured at the younger version of herself, who had just recovered the ball and scored a goal. "That means I scored the goals for my team."

"Oh... And who was that boy? The one you insulted?" Max asked, squinting his eyes as he tried to spot the boy in the gigantic Quidditch field.

"That was a friend of mine, James Potter, Gryffindor's star Chaser," a longing smile touched the blonde's lips ever so slightly... it had been years since she had allowed herself to visit these memories, and part of her wished she could still have her friend with her.

The scene suddenly changed again, and the group of adults spotted a group of five teenagers –one of them being the blonde producer – holding a peculiar looking map, which they seemed to be scanning with detainment.

"Those were your friends?" Fran asked, failing to notice Sirius' hand brushing up and down C.C.'s spine. Niles, however, did notice it, and for some strange and unjustified reason he felt jealous... he had to remind himself it was just a memory, a shadow of the past, and that now C.C. was his.

"Yes, Nanny Fine. They were a year older than me, and they called themselves 'The Marauders'. Eventually I was made a Marauder too, and we spent our time... planning and executing creative and mischievous shenanigans and pranks."

 _Where is Filch now?'" young C.C. asked._

 _"Nowhere near here, he's in the dungeons, the way is cleared!" Sirius retorted as he handed the map to Peter. He then pecked C.C.'s lips and helped her up. "We should get moving, we don't have much time left until Minnie realises the fireworks in the bathroom were a diversion."_

 _Remus sighed audibly. "Why do I ever listen to you? Why do I allow you to drag me into your insane shenanigans?!"_

 _There was a tense silence before James walked to the werewolf and looked at him dead in the eye, arms folded over his chest. "This was your idea, Moony."_

 _Remus waved a dismissive hand and used his wand to unlock McGonagall's office door. "Alright, alright, it's not the time to play the blame game. Everybody inside, now."_

 _The five individuals tiptoed into the room and proceeded to transfigure every book, furniture, quill, and parchment into adorable kittens. The devious group of teens scattered catnip around the room and a few cat toys, too._

Maxwell and Fran gazed in mild bemusement how the blonde diligently took part in the prank, and they couldn't help but to look between young and old C.C. in bewilderment. The measured, snarky and callous woman they had known for the past years had nothing to do with the carefree troublemaker before them.

 _'She'll be so pissed off!' James laughed as he petted a black kitten, but his smile soon gave way to a scowl when he noticed Sirius and C.C. had begun to snog. "Oh, come on, you two!" he rolled his eyes. "She'll be back any minute from now, can't you stop yourselves from snogging for five minutes?!"_

 _The couple groaned, and momentarily pulled away. "Prongs, you are just like this with Lily, let us be!' Sirius replied before tucking a loose stray of hair behind C.C.'s ear._

 _"He's right, you know," Remus said in between laughs._

 _"Shut up, Moony," James barked, clearly annoyed at his friends._

Fran and Maxwell turned and looked at C.C., who had turned a pale shade of crimson. "What? I was a teenager!"

 _"She's coming!" Peter squeaked, looking at the map. "We have to go!"_

 _"Everybody out!" James ordered, and immediately the five teens scurried out of the office, trying to drown the incipient laughter that was bubbling up inside of them. The group hid in a nearby classroom, awaiting for the results of their prank._

 _Eventually a loud scream was heard down the corridor, and they could also hear a horde of kittens running around. Soon enough, McGonagall's footsteps resounded through the hallway, judging by her furious scream they could tell she was livid._

 _"Someone bring Mr Filch right now!" Minerva yelled, trying to transfigure the little animals back into their original form "I swear to God they will be in SO much trouble when I find them!"_

 _"You think she knows it was us?" Sirius sniggered, draping his arms around his girlfriend's waist and pulling her to him._

 _"I bet she does. But she has to prove it! We are innocent until proved guilty," C.C. retorted, threading her fingers in his hair. "Well, come to think of it, with us usually is the other way round," the couple shared a light chuckle before their lips connected in a kiss which soon grew heated._

 _"And here they go again," Peter sighed, tucking the map inside his robes._

 _"You disgust me," James added._

 _"Remember what we said about you and Lily?" C.C. stared him down. "That still applies."_

 _James backed off, raising his eyebrows and throwing his hands up mock-defensively._

 _"That's what I thought, Potter," young C.C. laughed and continued making out with Sirius._

"Miss Baaaabcock!" Fran said in a sing-song voice, a knowing grin on her face. "You were a naughty little shiksa back then, in more ways than one!" the nanny honked a laugh and poked C.C. in the side. The producer smiled ,too, she couldn't deny how proud she was of having been a Marauder.

Maxwell – who was still too fazed by the sight of a mischievous C.C. – cleared his throat and glanced at his business partner. "I would have never imagined you were a troublemaker at school, C.C.!"

"Well, it was a long time ago..." she said with feigned modesty. "But yes, I was a troublemaker. It was one of the things that pulled Sirius and us together."

"Oh, Sirius was that boy we just saw, right? Was he your boyfriend?" the nanny inquired.

C.C. shifted uncomfortably in her place, and casted her eyes to the floor as she snuggled against Niles. The butler sensed her distress, so he took his hand in hers and squeezed it. The producer was grateful for the gesture, the mention of her former fiancé had brought forward the painful memory of his untimely death, and that combined with the nostalgia she was experiencing by seeing her own happy memories, were starting to overwhelm her.

"Actually, Sirius was my former fiancé," C.C. almost whispered, not daring to look at her friends.

"Fiancé?!" the two Muggles cried.

"Believe me, there's a lot you don't know about this one," Niles indicated to C.C. before planting a kiss on the back of her hand. The witch smiled to herself, and relished his touch; even though Sirius' death still hurt, being with Niles felt just... right.

"You'll understand in time," C.C. eventually said as the scene morphed. The four individuals found themselves in the middle of a battle.

 _Jets of green and red light capered around them, and there were many inert bodies lying on the floor. They soon spotted C.C. fighting six wizards at the same time. They wore long black cloaks and they faces were covered by strange masks - which resembled a skull. The younger version of C.C. was obviously exhausted, and judging by the cuts and bruises on her body, the Muggles could tell she had been fighting for a long time. She also had a wound in her forearm that read 'Mudblood', and it was bleeding profusely. Suddenly six jets of light impacted the witch at the same time, making her collapse on the ground. Sirius – who had been fighting a bunch of Death Eaters near his fiancée – ran to her, gathered the unconscious blonde in his arms and quickly Disapparated._

Fran gasped, hands over her mouth.

"C.C...?" for the first time throughout all the memories, Maxwell seemed afraid. "W-what is this...?"

"This," she replied grimly, "Is the First Magical War. A madman called Lord Voldemort tried to take over the magical world."

"He believes in blood purity, and so do his followers," Niles explained to the terrified Muggles. "C.C. is considered impure because she has non-magical parents."

"That's horrible..." Maxwell muttered. "It's positively barbaric..."

"But...but you helped to stop this guy, right...?" Fran asked cautiously. "Him an' his followers, they aren't around anymore?"

"Yes and No, Nanny Fine," C.C. released a long and shuddering sigh. "He came back a few months ago, that's the problem and the reason behind us showing you what we are," the producer rose a silencing hand before either Maxwell or his nanny could ask any questions. "We are not done yet, I'll answer all your doubts in some minutes, but please keep watching."

Reluctantly, the two Muggles looked ahead, just in time to see the scene change once again. C.C. was in a hospital bed, clearly having been seriously wounded. Sirius was by her side, and was holding her hand in his. Tears were falling from both C.C. and Sirius' eyes...

 _"I won't go away Sirius! I won't leave you behind," the younger version of C.C. said in a hoarse but firm voice._

 _"Babs, you almost died!" Sirius replied, and scooted over to her bed, and slowly began petting her long blonde hair. "Honey, Voldemort wants you dead! He has put a price to your head and your recovery will take months. You can't stay, you must go back to America."_

 _"But Sirius-"_

 _"Don't argue Babs, you don't have a choice here! I can't watch you die, less at the hands of that bastard."_

 _"But I won't let you die, either!" C.C.'s voice began to strain, and she tried to lift herself off her pillows._

 _"C.C., he wants you dead more than he wants me dead and Poppy said your recovery will take at least 7 months, you simply can't stay! James and Lily have gone into hiding, too, please listen to me!" Sirius pleaded, gently pushing her back down onto the pillows. She had been in a coma for a week, and things only worsened when she had awoken. The long term effects of the Cruciatus Curse had kicked in almost immediately, and the blonde needed numerous calming droughts to bear the intense pains that periodically wracked her body. But even if she was in excruciating pain, she wasn't willing to simply run away while he did the dirty job for her. Part of her knew she had to leave while she recovered, there was no point in endangering her life... but what about his?_

 _"Sirius, I am your fiancée, I can't just go and leave you behind." C.C. yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks, lifting herself from the pillows once again – only this time she winced in pain._

 _"You must," he told her firmly, taking her by the shoulders and gently pushing her back against the pillows as she struggled more to get up._

Niles noticed C.C. staring intensely at the scene before them, but she didn't really seem to be seeing what was happening. He delicately pulled her into his protective embrace, and held her tightly as he brushed his fingers against her left forearm, just over her scars. She had told him about the incident, but he had never imagined it had been that bad... or that painful.

 _"But why?" she asked in broken voice, cupping his cheek with her hand. "Don't you love me?"_

 _"More than anything, that's why I want you safe. Please, say you'll go. I promise I'll come and get you as soon as this is over."_

 _"And we'll get married?" C.C. whimpered, snaking her arms around his neck and pulling him down so that his chest rested on top of hers._

 _"Yes, we'll get married and we are going to have four kids, and live in an outrageously big mansion, just like I promised you," he reassured her, trailing feather-like kisses along her neck, shoulder blade and clavicle._

 _There was a moment of silence, but C.C. finally sighed a resigned, "Fine, I'll go."_

 _The four friends soon found themselves standing in the middle of a very familiar place: C.C.'s penthouse. The younger version of the producer was crying inconsolably, while professor McGonagall hugged her tightly_.

 _"I am sorry Miss Babcock, but James and Lily are dead."_

 _"I can't believe this! Sirius was their Secret Keeper, he was supposed to keep them safe!" C.C. was shaking, her body wracked with sobs. "Something must've happened; what happened?"_

 _"He gave them away... And killed Peter Pettigrew," McGonagall whispered 'He was taken to Azkaban.'_

 _'No... No... PLEASE GOD NO!' C.C. screamed, slamming her fists against the floor. She looked up into the older woman's eyes, desperately hoping she hadn't just heard what she did. "No...not Sirius, he couldn't have...wouldn't have!" she began to cry all over again, her sobs becoming terrible screams._

 _"Their son survived... your godson is alive. The Dark Lord tried to kill him, but the curse rebounded, and killed him instead."_

"C.C.? What... what happened here?" Maxwell asked, his voice quivering. Fran had tears in her eyes, and took C.C.'s free hand in hers.

"I don't know for sure," C.C. swallowed. "Nobody does. The Potters – James and Lily – their son, he survived a...a curse, which is supposed to kill anyone who comes into contact with it. And, in so doing, he managed to repel Voldemort," she squeezed Fran's hand, actually grateful that the nanny was there. The producer took a deep, shuddering breath, and continued. "He was only a baby..."

C.C. wiped away her tears, and sank further into Niles' embrace. His scent calmed her, and his soft touch made her feel safe... "For years I thought Sirius had given them away, but a part of me refused to believe he had been responsible for their deaths, so I kept his ring. Eventually I began to fall out of love... " C.C. looked away, knowing the memory that was about to come.

 _They were still in C.C.'s apartment, but this time C.C. was alone. They saw her taking off a wonderful ring and putting it in a box. "You belong in my memories," she whispered and gulped down a bit of Firewhiskey "Goodbye, Padfoot."_

Fran gasped softly, "Did you just...?"

C.C. nodded silently.

The four friends were transported again, and found themselves standing in Dumbledore's office. A younger C.C. was standing before the headmaster, a shocked expression plastered to her face.

 _"Sirius is innocent, Miss Babcock. The Potter's Secret Keeper was Pettigrew and he gave them away and then disappeared. They blamed Sirius, no one knew about the change," Dumbledore explained from his desk. The elderly man had summoned the producer when he was certain Sirius had successfully escaped with Buckbeak. She deserved to know the truth._

 _"And where is Peter right now?" C.C. swallowed, attempting to control her breathing, but her hand had curled into a fist. "I think I need to have a talk with him."_

 _Dumbledore seemed to visibly deflate, and the usual twinkle in his eyes, extinguished. "He's gone. Harry almost caught him, but Remus had forgotten to take the Wolfsbane Potion and turned into a werewolf, and Pettigrew was able to run away. Sirius is safe though, he escaped and is now recovering in his old home."_

 _C.C. grimaced; Sirius detested Grimmauld place only slightly less than he detested both his mother and cousin... she couldn't imagine what it would be like for him to have to be confined there. "When can I see him?" C.C. immediately asked, twisting the end of her robes in her hands. "I have to... I need to see him."_

 _"He doesn't want to see you at the moment, Miss Babcock. He is far too weak. Wait a few months, child."_

 _"Months," she repeated weakly, plopping herself down on the chair before the Headmaster's desk. She doubted her weak knees would hold her any longer... They had been apart for years... and now he didn't want to see her?!_

 _"Miss Babcock," Albus started, trying to quell her surely mounting anger. "He is not the man you remember. He was locked in Azkaban for 12 years and..." Dumbledore stopped for a second, and took a deep breathe before continuing talking in his usually calmed tone of voice. "Dementors almost sucked his soul."_

 _"Almost," she stated. This time, her voice was firm. "They didn't manage it."_

 _"Harry saved him, but he still needs time."_

 _"Do we have the luxury of time?" the producer asked, folding her arms. "The authorities could find him at any moment, all the while Peter gets further and further away to do God knows what and no doubt cause further damage as he goes!"_

 _Albus rose a silencing hand, and shook his head. He knew it was hard for her to accept Sirius' rules, but he needed to make her understand. "You'll have to wait Miss Babcock," his answer was final. C.C. glared at the headmaster and stormed out of the room._

 _The scene changed in the blink of an eye, and this time, what materialised in front of them was a younger version of the producer standing in front of and extremely thin and sickly Sirius. The sight contrasted with the vibrant young man they had seen moments before; he appeared to have aged, his grey eyes were hollow and his skin had adopted a yellowish hue._

 _"Hi, Babs," Sirius spoke softly, taking a step towards his fiancée. Part of him wanted to just run to her and crash their lips together, but he knew he couldn't do that. They needed to talk first... "Long time no see."_

 _"Hello, Padfoot," the woman replied just as softly._

 _"There was some part of me which thought I'd never see you again, you know," there was still a small smile playing about his features, despite how sick he looked. "I held onto the possibility that I was wrong. I'm glad I was."_

 _"I did try and tell you; you couldn't stop me coming back," the younger version of C.C. tried to chuckle, but it came out wrong, like she was trying hard not to cry._

 _"Why have you come to see me now?" they both knew the answer, really, but once the words were said aloud, that would make it official._

Niles turned to look at present-day C.C. just as her past self was about to answer, and took hold of her wrist. She looked up at him, her watery eyes meeting his. Niles' words drowned out the younger C.C.'s own, "Perhaps this is where we should finish?" he suggested and received a nod as an answer.

The butler pulled himself out of the memory, gasping for air as he resurfaced in the Sheffield living room. The others soon followed. C.C. lingered a moment longer than Fran and Max, but soon all four friends were back in the present day. They stood in silence, no one knowing what to do or say. The memories had explained so much, but the two Muggles were still trying to process everything they had just seen in the Pensieve. Everything they knew about the woman that stood before them – who had just been a snarky and bitter millionaire until a few minutes ago – was not true. Their world had undoubtedly been turned upside down: not only their friends were magical and belonged to a secret magical universe, but they were also involved in a dangerous war against a madman. This recently unveiled facet only served to show how little they knew about the blonde producer, and they were determined to understand her. Not surprisingly, Fran was the first one who asked a question, not being one who likes beating around the bush. She meekly walked to C.C., and enveloped the blonde in a hug. The action took the producer by surprise, but she allowed the contact to happen.

"Miss Babcock what happened to Sirius?" Fran started, feeling the producer tensing up. "Where is he now? Is he better?"

C.C. hastily pulled away from Fran, and took a few steps away from her friends; she couldn't let them see he cry... not now... she shouldn't show weakness...

The producer wrapped her arms around herself, as though trying to shield herself, and reluctantly allowed the tears to leak from her eyes. The pain was oppressing her chest, and she suddenly felt the room was either overcrowded or devoid of sufficient oxygen. "He is dead. He was killed a few days ago. That's why we left for Britain, we went to his funeral."

Niles crossed the room and enveloped her in a hug. The woman tried to struggle at first, to push him away, but he wouldn't let her, holding her in a tight grip until she gave up and finally allowed herself to openly weep. The butler excused them to Max and Fran, and took her out of the sitting room and into the kitchen. He didn't speak at first, he knew words weren't neither needed nor welcomed at that moment, so he just held her shaking body to his as she cried. That's all that she needed for now, and he could provide it.

He continued to hold her, until her crying became quiet sobs, and then slowed into more normal breathing, rubbing her back and eventually murmuring sweet nothings which he hoped were comforting. Niles guided them both to the kitchen table, and sat on a chair while C.C. sat on his lap; she still had her arms wrapped around his neck, but now her head was resting on his shoulder. Her laboured breath tickled his neck, and due to the closeness of their bodies he could feel the hammering of her heart against his chest. As he brushed his lips against the top of her head, he pleasantly discovered she had started to stroke his nape.

"Are you feeling better?" Niles asked gently.

"Not totally," she replied, leaning the side of her head against his.

"Miss Fine didn't mean to upset you."

If C.C.'s eyes had been open, she probably would've rolled them at that comment, "I know, it wasn't her fault. I just...I just really didn't need the reminder right now."

"I know, love, I know," Niles murmured before trailing kisses down her throat. She tilted her head, giving him more room to kiss her, and released a painful sigh. She knew this was going to be hard for her, but she hadn't known just how hard and nerve wracking it was going to be. The couple stayed embraced for a good ten minutes before Niles spoke up again. "Are you ready to go back to the sitting room? We still have to tell them about the war."

C.C. groaned, but eventually scrambled to her feet. He was right, it had to be done – there was no sense in delaying the conversation any longer. They stepped back into the sitting room together, where they found both Fran and Maxwell had taken a seat on the sofa. The producer had his head in one hand, as though he were nursing a headache, while the nanny was semi-curled in a ball. The two Muggle's eyes darted at them when they heard them coming, and immediately straightened their posture as both wizards sat down.

"Is there something else we should know about?" Maxwell asked, lowering his hand to the arm of his seat, effectively breaking the silence.

"Well... yes," C.C. began, her leg starting to twitch in apprehension. "Nanny Fine, Maxwell... ask all the questions you have. There is a lot you need to know, as it involves your safety, but we'll start by trying to explain any doubts you two surely have."

"Alright, I have a question," Fran started off, raising her hand slightly as though she were still at school.

"Yes, Miss Fine?" Niles addressed the nanny.

"Why have you waited so long to tell us about this? About what you two are?"

"Yeah. Why have you waited this long to tell us all this?"

"First and most importantly, because there is an International Statute of Secrecy. We can't reveal our nature to Muggles," C.C. explained, fiddling with her wand.

"That's how we call non-magical people." Niles clarified, seeing the confused looks on Max and Fran's faces.

"Secondly, because I am... was hiding. I was heavily involved in the First Wizarding War, and Voldemort wanted me dead, just as he wanted James and Lily," C.C. said quietly. "Probably now that a second one is coming, I'll have to take precautions, too."

"There is another war?" Maxwell pointed at the ground. "A-and it's going on right now?"

Niles and C.C. exchanged a glance, before looking back at their friends. "It's...not exactly going on this instant," C.C. replied carefully. "But it's coming."

"Are...are we safe?" the dark-haired producer looked at them hopefully. The two blondes could see it in his features - his concern for his family, his home, his very way of life...

"Not entirely..." C.C. looked away, feeling guilty for putting them in danger. "The Death Eaters will do anything to hurt me, they will stop at nothing and they will torture and kill my loved ones to get to me. That's why I want to put all of you under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, so as to keep you hidden from them."

"The Fidelius charm is a potent charm that can be used to conceal a secret inside an individual's soul; the witch or wizard who houses the secret is known as the Secret Keeper. A dwelling whose location has been protected by this spell is then invisible, intangible, unplottable and soundproof. This is an extremely old spell, one of the most ancient of all," Niles explained before squeezing her hand, wordlessly showing his support for the idea.

"Well, sign me up for that," Fran piped up. "If it keeps us hidden from those guys that put Miss Babcock in the hospital, then I'm all for it."

Maxwell nodded in agreement, and casted a saddened glance at his associate. He would have never imagined that she had faced so much loss... he would have never imagined the cold woman he knew was actually a broken soul.

"Excellent, then we'll ask Albus to place the Charm," C.C. smiled at them for a second, but soon the smile gave way to a solemn and unreadable expression. "You must know that, when the war comes, both Niles and I are probably going to leave. We have to fight, we have to stop this madness before it consumes us all."

"But what does this madman want?!" Maxwell asked, his voice denoting anger. "Why is he after you?"

"He's after everyone, Maxwell. Everyone who doesn't comply with his idea of a perfect world," C.C.'s voice was on the verge of a snap. "We're just more in the line of fire because we're two of the people who are trying to stop him."

"But why can't you stay hidden? Why can't you let others fight?"

"BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T!" C.C. stood up, and walked over to Maxwell while raising her sleeve, making the scars on her left forearm visible. Maxwell's eyes widened when he spotted the scarred wound, and gulped down a sudden lump that had formed in his throat. "I lost almost everything and everyone, Maxwell. These people hurt me, they killed my loved ones, and they want to take away my world!" C.C. couldn't stop the tears, so she just let them roll down her cheeks as she ranted. "You know how helpless I feel? Seeing my world crumbling down? Do you think I like to fight? Because let me tell you, I don't! I am just in danger for being what they call a Mudblood, filth... something Impure."

Niles rose to his feet, and placed a hand on her shoulder. The action calmed her somewhat, and she soon covered his hand with hers, silently letting the tears fall. The butler turned to their friends, "Please, let us protect you as best we can. We have to fight, to defend your way of life as well as our own. You are like family to us, and the most certain way to keep you safe is to take an active part, not leave it to others."

Maxwell was hesitant for a second, but seeing how insistent his friends were being, he knew it was best to accept their offer. "Ok, we'll let you protect us," he conceded, raising his hands in defeat.

"I am sorry you are involved in this, I really am Maxwell, but it's best for you and your family if we take precautions," Niles walked to his friend, and put a hand on his shoulder "We promise to keep you safe."

"I know, old man, I trust you. It's just that I'm afraid, I don't understand your world, nor the dangers of it," Maxwell slumped his shoulders, heaving a tense sigh. In barely an afternoon his life has been turned upside down! Not only both his business associate and his butler were wizards, but they also were in mortal peril! Part of him wanted to send them away, to get his family as far away from this strange and dangerous world as possible... but Niles and C.C. were his family too, and he couldn't desert them. Therefore, the only thing he could do was follow their advice and hope for the best.

"We will be more open, and we will explain everything to you in time. For now you must know what is coming, and also that we've decided to face this together," Niles walked back to C.C. and draped an arm around her waist.

The gesture didn't go unnoticed to Fran, whose mouth was hanging wide open. "You mean together... as a couple?"

"Well...yeah," C.C. gave a small smile, leaning against Niles, and placing her hand over his.

"Can this afternoon get any weirder?" Maxwell whined, rubbing his hand against his forehead. He soon regretted having asked that question when he saw the devious smirk on C.C.'s lips. "What are you going to-"

"Oh, you just watch!" the blonde chirped as she pulled out her wand, turned into her Animagus form and walked to Maxwell, whose eyes were as big as saucers.

"I...I need to sit down again..." the dark haired producer fell onto the sofa. "Miss Fine, Niles, please tell me you are also seeing this!"

"Oh that is very much real, sir. She is an Animagus, which means she can morph into an animal whenever she wants. Let me show you another trick!" with a flourish of Niles' wand, both Maxwell and Fran started to levitate, the action eliciting a loud cackle from Fran and a terrified scream from Max.

"Niles! Put us down!"

"Why? This is fun!" Fran screeched with laughter. A noise which sounded like a honking laugh emanated from swan C.C., too. Seeing her employer in such a state was hilarious, in her mind.

C.C. morphed back into her human form, a wide smile on her face, walked to Niles and wrapped her arms around his waist as she rested her chin on his shoulder. He seemed to like the contact, for he turned his head and feathered a kiss on her temple. "You know, we should take them with us to Hogwarts! After all we have to ask Dumbledore to place the Fidelius Charm," the blonde producer whispered to his ear as she nibbled on the sensible skin of his earlobe. The butler closed his eyes momentarily, enjoying the gentle love-bites she was giving him.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," he retorted in a raspy voice, and flicked his wand to put both Max and Fran down. The nanny seemed visibly deflated when she found herself back on the floor, while her employer seemed more than relieved. He was still wary of their magical abilities, so he'd rather not be the victim of any of their spells, even if they were harmless.

After both producer and nanny were safely back on the floor, C.C. disentangled herself from her partner, and ambled in Fran's direction, once again pulling her wand from the insides of her robe. Niles, on the other hand, walked to Max, and extended a hand at him. "Sir, if you would take my hand, and Miss Fine would take Miss Babcock's-"

"Wha- what are we going to do?" Max cut him off, worry evident in his voice.

"We are going to Apparate," C.C. waved her hand nonchalantly, as if they knew what it meant.

"It's nothing painful, don't worry. Though you might need to vomit after."

"Wait a minute, what?" Fran's eyes grew wide, but she had already taken C.C.'s hand and it was too late.

* * *

"I am never doing that again!" Maxwell panted, still holding his now empty stomach. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you wizards?! This is horrid!"

"Don't be such a sissy Maxwell!" C.C. scoffed "Try being crucioed and tell me if this was really horrible."

Fran – who had already scrambled back to her feet and was straightening her clothes – arched a questioning eyebrow at the blonde. "Crucioed? What is that?"

The witch pulled a face, not really wanting to describe an unforgivable to a Muggle, but eventually she shrugged and looked away from the nanny. "The Cruciatus Curse," C.C. started in a strangely strained voice, "Is a curse designed specifically to torture. I've experienced it a few times and it's a kind of pain you never want to feel," C.C. shuddered and instinctively her hand went to her forearm.

"Oh," Fran seemed cautious, like she was afraid that asking another question would set C.C. off crying again.

Before anyone could ask anything else, though, Niles began to head off, calling over his shoulder. "We should really be heading for the castle, it's getting late and we should reach it before they close the doors."

C.C. joined Niles, and laced their arms together, while Max and Fran were on their heels, occasionally sharing worried glances between each other; their friends were walking to what seemed to be mouldering old ruins. There was a large sign that read **'DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE'** , hence the Muggle's confused state.

"Um...are you two sure of where we're going?" Maxwell asked, glancing around nervously.

"Yep, really sure," C.C. piped up, "Brace yourselves, we are crossing the barrier!"

Suddenly, a gigantic castle appeared before them, leaving both Maxwell and Fran mouths agape.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the blonde said, and gestured at the imposing castle. It was surrounded by multiple mountains and there was a large lake to the South of the main building. In the distance, they spotted two tall oak doors, and to the West of the castle a thick forest could be seen if one squinted their eyes a little.

"Oh my God...!" Fran eventually squealed.

"It's...it's..." Maxwell tried and failed to find the words.

"I remember having a similar reaction, the first time I saw this place," C.C. chuckled.

"It's magnificent! You went to school here?!" Maxwell practically yelled, gawking at his two friends with childlike excitement.

"Yep, for seven long years," C.C. retorted, sporting a nostalgic smile as they neared the entrance. "We'll show you the facilities tomorrow, now we need to see Albus Dumbledore."

"Albus what?" Fran asked, cocking her head.

"Dumbledore. That's his last name," Niles explained. "He's the Headmaster here."

The four individuals walked through the main doors, Max and Fran trying to get a look of everything around them. The pair resembled a pair of little kids in a toy store. Almost immediately after their arrival, the group spotted a stern-looking, old woman walking to them, her emerald robes billowing around her.

"Mr. Brightmore, Miss Babcock!" she called out. "You're back! We thought you had left us for an extended period of time, again."

"Hello professor McGonagall! We just had to take care of a little something in New York, in fact that's why they are here." C.C. pointed at the two Muggles.

"Who is this lady, Niles?" Fran whispered.

"She was a professor of ours. She teaches transfiguration."

Minerva studied both Fran and Maxwell, before extending a hand to them both, "How do you do? I am Minerva McGonagall. And yes, I schooled both Mr. Brightmore and Miss Babcock in Transfiguration."

"What's-"

"We don't really have enough time for this," C.C. interrupted Fran's question before it even really began, and turned to her former teacher. "Is Professor Dumbledore in his office?"

Minerva seemed a little taken aback by her student's rush to see the headmaster, but her expression quickly went back to being stern. "Yes, he is still in his office, go ahead and talk to him. I take you are all staying at the castle for tonight, aren't you?"

"Yes we are, professor. We'd like to keep the room that was given to us a few days ago," Niles requested.

"Of course, there is no problem. I shall retire to settle accommodation for our new guests, then. Good evening."

"Thank you, Professor," Niles gave a slight bow, before starting to pull his friends in the direction of the office.

As they walked to Dumbledore's office, Max and Fran's wondered expression stayed firmly glued to their faces. They couldn't believe their friends had been schooled in such an incredible place. The peace, however, was interrupted by Max's scream, and Niles turned around to find Nearly-headless Nick standing beside Maxwell, eyeing him warily. "I am sorry, did I scared you? Have you never seen a ghost before?"

"N-no...!" Maxwell stuttered, stumbling back a few paces as the ghost moved towards him curiously.

"Such strange attire..." Nick eyed him curiously.

"They are Muggles, Nick," Niles said. "Their attire is perfectly normal. And they are...not so used to ghosts."

Nick straightened up, "Ah! My humblest apologies!"

"That's...okay?" Fran replied, unsure of what to do in this situation.

The spirit chuckled good-naturedly. "It has been a long time since I last saw a single Muggle wandering these halls, let alone two!" he took a bow in mid-air. "Please, do enjoy your stay."

"Thank you Sir Nicholas," C.C. smiled at the ghost, who beamed when he recognised his interlocutor.

"Ah, my dearest Miss Babcock, it's been ages since I last saw you! It's good to see you return to your old world. I should be going though, it's the Bloody Baron's deathday, and I've been invited to a gathering in his honour. Good evening."

The ghost floated away, leaving two amused wizards and two horrified Muggles behind.

"Charming fellow, isn't he?" C.C. asked Max, "He is Gryffindor's ghost."

"Ye-yes...charming. Completely and utterly charming," her business associate replied shakily, his countenance having turned awfully ashen. C.C. had to make an effort not to laugh at Maxwell's disconcert; the man clearly was struggling to understand this new and fantastic world, but it seemed he still had trouble to accept the wonders he saw in it.

"Perhaps we should continue on our way, now?" Niles offered, gesturing ahead with his hand. Fran, Max and C.C. chorused their agreement and resumed their walk to the Headmaster's office. As they glided through the long and antique halls, they could only hear the clicking of Fran's heels against the stony floor; Max was still a little taken aback by his encounter with Sir Nicholas, so Fran was glad to walk by his side, her arm draped around her waist. Niles and C.C. were a few steps ahead of their Muggle friends, and they were holding hands. The butler knew she needed his reassurance, and he was more than willing to provide it.

Eventually they reached a large, and frankly ugly, gargoyle. The same was concealing some type of entrance, and the two Muggles wondered what wonders awaited for them behind it. The butler gave a step forward and cleared his throat, successfully awaking the previously slumbering gargoyle.

"Password?" the gargoyle barked, vexed by having been awoken.

"Cockroach clusters."

"Cockroach Clusters?!" Max choked out, his eyes having widened slightly. "What kind of password is that?"

"A very Dumbledore-esque one," C.C. stated, chuckling lightly. "You'll understand when you meet him."

As they were talking, the gargoyle had moved back, and the entrance to the stairs opened up. Niles gestured for the two Muggles to go up, which they began to do with great trepidation. The witch and the wizard followed right behind, and soon all four of them were stood at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. C.C. knocked on the doors, which were opened by a gentle-looking old man. Albus Dumbledore was tall and thin, with silver hair and a beard so long that they could be tucked into his belt. He had a very long and crooked nose and his eyes were a soul-piercing shade of blue. His robes were a bit more eccentric than the ones both Niles and C.C. were wearing; they were a bright crimson colour, and had a tartan pattern – hence C.C. being almost certain they had been a gift from Minerva. Dumbledore smiled at the four visitors, and gave them way to step into his office.

"Ah Miss Babcock, Mr. Brightmore! I was wondering when you were going to come back. Come on in!" the cheerful and grandfatherly aura that emanated from the old headmaster seemed to put both Muggles slightly more at ease, and the last of their concerns melted away when they stepped a foot into the office. Amazement had replaced fear, and both Muggles gazed around in awe; the office was a nice circular room, full of an array of silver instruments that whirred and emitted little puffs of smoke. It had many windows, and the walls were covered with portraits of numerous witches and wizards from different times in history. There also was a magnificent bird resting on a perch by the Headmaster's desk, numerous cabinets and a cosy fireplace; right next to the aforementioned fireplace, there was a small sitting room that consisted of five armchairs and a little wooden coffee table.

"Who might you two be?" Albus asked, bringing Fran and Max out of their stunned state.

"These are our friends, Professor," Niles introduced them, one after the other. "This is Mr. Maxwell Sheffield, Broadway producer and our employer, and this is Miss Fran Fine, the nanny to Mr. Sheffield's children."

"I am very pleased to make both your acquaintances," the older man shook both their hands, as Professor McGonagall had done.

"Likewise, Professor Dumbledore," Maxwell replied, allowing himself to flash a small and slightly shy smile. Fran remained by his side, but unlike Maxwell, she was sporting a big and toothy beam. The woman was enchanted by the strange world her friends were showing her, and the old man in front of her had such a benevolent and ethereal countenance she couldn't help but to feel welcome and at ease.

"Why have you brought them here? I trust it must have to do with the war, am I correct?"

Both C.C. and Niles nodded solemnly. Dumbledore hummed softly as he took out his wand, a suddenly grave expression darkening his previously relaxed features.

"Then let us sit down and have some tea," the old wizard declared as he beckoned for the four guests to follow him to the sitting room.

Maxwell couldn't help but gasp in astonishment when he spotted a tray laden with biscuits and tea floating to the small coffee table. Both Niles and C.C. sat themselves on the two chairs nearest to the fire, while the Headmaster chose to sit on the one nearest to the window. Max and Fran lingered behind for a second, but eventually they seated themselves on the two remaining armchairs. As the tea was served, and everyone was helping themselves to biscuits, Dumbledore began to speak again. "Now, might I ask what my former students and their Muggle friends require of me?"

"As you well know, professor, I've been working as a theatre producer for years. As there is a war looming over, I am concerned about my business associate and his family's safety. They are like family to me, and an easy target for Death Eaters. We wanted to ask you to place a Fidelius Charm on them," C.C. explained in a surprisingly calm tone.

Dumbledore nodded along with her words, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Niles had noticed that he occasionally stole glances at the two Muggles, whose faces had turned grave. "Well, naturally, we want to protect as many people as possible. Has one of you agreed to become their Secret Keeper?"

"I will," C.C. immediately said, "They are not interested in Max or Fran as specific targets, they are merely a way to get to me, so the most logical thing is that I become their Secret Keeper. They are after me, and if I die, the secret dies with me."

C.C. looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling the weight of guilt over her shoulders. She was endangering everybody around her, which only made her want to close up, to get away, to push everyone from her life... just like she had done ever since Sirius was sent to Azkaban. How had she let Niles get involved in this? How had she agreed to let him fight? If he died because of her, she would never forgive herself.

But at the same time, Niles wanted to tell her to not be too hasty – that he could protect the Sheffields as well as her, and that she shouldn't have to have another thing to worry about, but he knew that his words would only end in an argument, and her agreeing to become Secret Keeper anyway. Instead, he put one hand on her back in a soothing manner.

"Very well. When would you like me to place the charm?" Dumbledore inquired.

"As soon as possible. After my encounter with Bellatrix, I feel danger is around the corner," the producer retorted, ignoring the questioning glances of both the nanny and her business associate.

"Of course," the older man nodded. "It shall be done by tomorrow evening."

A sigh of relief went up among the four friends. "Thank you, Professor," Niles ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes...thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Maxwell began to smile a little. "For my family, and their safety."

"There is no need to thank, Mr. Sheffield. Now, I suggest you go to your rooms, you must be exhausted after having Apparated here, especially if it was your first experience," Dumbledore chuckled good-naturedly when he saw the involuntary twin grimaces on the Muggle's features. Surely they hadn't had the best of times while coming to Britain.

"Your dinner will be sent to your quarters, and tomorrow we'll go back to America and place the charm," Dumbledore said gently, standing from his chair. "Ah, that reminds me, your quarters, Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine, are next to Mr Brightmore and Miss Babcock's. Follow them, they'll help you find your accommodation."

Both the headmaster and the four guests stood up, and headed for the door in silence, the good moods in which they had arrived being long since gone. After saying their goodbyes, they walked out of the office and made their way to their rooms, where Niles and C.C. parted ways with Fran and Max after introducing them to their quarters.

Once inside their room, and after heaving a long sigh that signalled some of his relief, Niles seated himself on the bed and started preparing for bed. C.C., however, paced the room, not entirely sure of what to do with herself.

"You know that the Sheffields are safe now, do you?" he called out to her, "You've made the Fidelius Charm practically fool proof by taking it on yourself."

C.C. nodded, continuing to walk back and forth across the room, "I know."

"What's troubling you right now, then?" he knew that the producer had plenty of her own reasons to worry, but if he could help alleviate them – whichever ones were bothering her at that moment – he would try. C.C. stopped pacing, and turned away from Niles.

"You. You are worrying me," she confessed, "I have put you in great danger by asking you to fight. I don't even know your blood status!" C.C. covered her eyes with her hands, releasing a pained sigh. "What if you all get killed because of me? How would I deal with that?!"

Niles rose to his feet and came towards her, placing his hands on her upper arms, rubbing them softly. "I would fight for you in this, whether you had asked me to or not," he murmured. "I would protect you, with or without your permission. My blood status has nothing to do with that. What flows in our veins is a large part of this war, and acceptance for everyone is what we are all fighting for. Our friends in New York are safe, and those that are here will fight with us. And you know they'd rather die making the world a better place than live the rest of their lives in fear."

C.C. leaned against Niles chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. She rested her head just over his heart, it's even beating relaxing her. "I know Niles, I know... It's just I feel guilty, I've never liked dragging anyone I love into this mess."

"C.C., you didn't drag me into this, I chose to get involved. I don't want a world ruled by blood purists either," Niles placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, while his arms rested on the small of her back.

"But what if something happens to you? What if they... they target you because of me? Or because of your blood-status?"

"It won't happen C.C.! But if they do target me, then I am ready. And, just for you to know, I am a Half-Blood. Both of my parents were wizards, but my father was a Muggleborn. My mother, on the other hand, came from a French Pure-Blooded family, and was disowned due to her marriage to my father," Niles reassured her, dropping soft kisses on the top of her head.

Truth was that, when Niles' father died, he had gone to live with his paternal uncle, who was a Muggle and happened to be the Sheffield's butler. As he had no children of his own, he was more than happy to take the young wizard in and got him a job as a butler, too.

"Oh..." C.C. turned her head, leaning her forehead against his chest. She sighed, and then looked up at him. "There's really nothing I can do to stop you from going through this with me, is there?"

Niles smiled, "Absolutely nothing at all," he leaned in, and pressed a delicate kiss to her lips. "We had a long day, why don't we go to bed? Surely tomorrow we'll have a busy day showing Hogwarts to Miss Fine and Mr. Sheffield."

"Alright. I'll go change," C.C. pecked his lips one more time and ran into the closet while Niles walked to their bed and lay on it. He had already taken off his robes, and was only wearing his boxers and undershirt. He stretched comfortably, waiting for her to return to the room. The usual chill of the dungeons hung in the air, so he lifted the covers and slid beneath them, beginning the process of trapping the heat. C.C. eventually joined him, wearing the same pyjamas she had been choosing for the past few days. He eyed her as she walked around to her side of the bed, admiring how the fabric accentuated her curves.

"What are you staring at, Butler Boy?" she smirked, pulling back her half of the covers to climb in.

"Nothing," he replied, trying to suppress a grin. He leaned over, kissed her on the cheek, and prepared to lay back on his pillow. "Goodnight, Babs."

C.C. pulled his arm around her, curled up against his side, and pressed a kiss to his chest, "'Night, Hazel."

Niles fell asleep soon after, and C.C. took a little longer to follow, still not able to fully banish her fears. She glanced at Niles' sleeping form through the darkness, and held him tighter as she closed her eyes and finally began to dream.

* * *

 **AN: Well, here was another chapter! We hope you've enjoyed it and we'll soon be uploading the next one. Thanks for reading our story! We truly appreciate reviews.**

 **Until the next time!**

 **H &L**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hey there! Sorry for the update taking so long! But one of us moved to another country and it was kinda difficult to proofread and work on this. Anyway, you've got a load lf chapters coming! I hope you enjoy this one and, as usual, we would be very happy if you reviewed!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **H &L**

* * *

 **Chapter _8_**

 ** _Becoming One_**

The following morning found both wizards still sleeping together, only now Niles was lying on his back, and CC was pressed to his side, with her head resting comfortably on his chest. Niles was the first one to awake, and he smiled down at the blonde woman. Who would have thought they'd be sleeping together? After years of being – for the lack of a better word – nemesis, it still surprised him just how right this new relationship felt. He used his free hand to tuck a few loose locks behind her ear, and then caressed her pale cheek. Whenever the C.C. slept, she seemed at peace... as though none of her worries existed. Her features were relaxed, and there was a small smile on her lips – he had always thought she was beautiful, but she had never looked as gorgeous as she did now.

His scrutiny of his new partner, however, was cut short by a rapping on the door. Figuring that the breakfast tray had made its appearance, Niles carefully scrambled for his wand, and opened the door with a flourish of it.

You can probably imagine his disconcert when he found two slack-jawed Muggles behind the door instead of the usual tray laden with their copious breakfast.

"Mr. Sheffield! Miss Fine!" he started, his movements waking C.C..

"Hm...?" the blonde woman slowly opened her eyes, blinking around at her surroundings. When she looked in the direction Niles was looking in, she herself jumped. "Maxwell! Nanny Fine!" she tried to cover herself and Niles with the blankets.

The butler took her hand, stopping her. "You're wearing pyjamas, it's fine."

Maxwell, one hand covering his eyes, used the other hand to wave dismissively, "No, no! This is completely our fault; we should have announced that it was us!"

"You can put down your hand, sir. We are both dressed." Niles said, a boyish grin appearing on his features. Hesitantly, Max put down his hand and looked at the pair of blonds. Fran had a knowing smile on her face, but chose not to comment on the sight before her.

"So... what brought you here?" C.C. asked, lying back down on the bed.

"We... uh... well, we are not so sure where we have to go in order to have breakfast." Maxwell stuttered.

"Well, they've been bringing us trays from the kitchens for all the time that we've been staying here," Niles pulled a thoughtful face. "Perhaps the arrangement for you is similar?"

"But we haven't seen or heard anybody down here this morning..." Maxwell's voice trailed off as he began to gape at something he could see just outside the door. "Uh...Niles?"

"Yes, sir?" But there was no time for any more questions, as Niles and C.C.'s breakfast arrived on its usual platter, moving past the two Muggles and settling itself on the bedside table next to C.C.. Fran took a moment to look past the dark-haired producer, into the corridor. Her jaw similarly dropped, as an equally laden breakfast tray made its way to their own bedroom door, gently colliding with the wood in order to simulate a knock.

"But... there is no one carrying... how is it...It's... magical!" Maxwell babbled, his eyes glued to the tray before his bedroom door.

"Well, Maxwell, one would think that by now you'd be used to seeing magic! After all we are in a school of witchcraft and wizardry," CC gave his business associate a mocking smile.

"I know that, C.C., but...still!" he gestured towards the tray helplessly. There was a silence, and Maxwell lowered his hand.

"It appears your breakfast is served, sir," Niles began to get out of bed, intending to head towards the breakfast tray. "Might I suggest you eat it, before it gets cold?"

Maxwell looked between Niles, C.C., Fran, and the tray across the corridor, "Yes, well...I suppose that would be best..." the producer left the room without another word.

Fran gave her friends a knowing smile. "When he's feeling less embarrassed by literally everything, we'll be back."

Niles nodded, "Of course. We'll show you some more of the castle then."

The nanny flashed a smile, and followed Mr. Sheffield back into the corridor, remembering to close the door behind her.

As soon as the door was closed, both blonds looked at each other, eyes twinkling with mirth, and burst into a loud fit of laughter. "Did you see his face?! He looked as he had seen a boggart!" C.C. let out in between chuckles.

Niles suppressed another guffaw as he placed the tray between them. "Well, you know he is a prudish man, and his first thought was that we..." Niles gulped, suddenly not feeling brave enough to finish the sentence. They had never talked about intimacy, and even if he know it would eventually come seeing as they now were a couple, it still was a subject he felt uneasy to touch. Before he discovered she was a witch, he had thought her sex life was poor, and only consisted on occasional flings with rich men. But now, knowing that she had never dated another man since Sirius, he suspected the blonde woman had not been with anyone since her fiancé.

C.C. picked up on his nervousness over this relatively new subject in their relationship, and cleared her throat, "Yeah...but that's just Maxwell making assumptions. He does it all the time."

"That is true," the ease of her tone put Niles slightly more at ease, too, and he relaxed somewhat.

The couple ate their breakfast as quickly as possible, dressing as soon as their plates were empty. Eventually, they opened the door to receive Maxwell and Fran.

"You guys ready to see more of the castle?"

"We'd be delighted, C.C.," Maxwell declared loudly, apparently trying to gloss over their previous encounter.

Both the producer and the nanny again resembled a pair of kids. Their excitement was evident in their features. Just before they left to wander around the castle, the blonde producer took out her wand and pointed it at them; she quickly transfigured their muggle clothing into robes, and received a questioning stare from both Muggles and Niles.

"Why was that?" Fran asked at her, while looking at her new attire.

"It will be easier, you know, it'll save questions. It's not every day that two muggles walk around Hogwarts, in this way you'll go unnoticed."

"Do we really look that different?" Maxwell looked down at himself, as though expecting there to be a physical part of him which did not look like the others.

"Wearing a suit in a world where people only wear robes and not appearing at all to carry a wand?" his business associate retorted. "Yeah, you stand out a little. Trust me, this is easier."

The Muggles nodded, and Niles gestured up ahead of them, towards a flight of stairs. "Well then, now that's sorted, shall we begin our tour?" The four friends began to move, the two blondes starting to explain more about the school as they went.

With each room they visited, the awe in both Muggles faces increased. They didn't know where to look, it seemed everything around them was interesting and wondrous. Eventually, they got to the Quidditch pitch, and C.C. was beaming. She had taken two brooms and the Quidditch equipment from the lockers – with McGonagall's permission, of course – and dropped them on the grass. "Here we are! This is the Quidditch pitch!" she exclaimed, using her hand to gesture around.

"I remember – from your memory," Fran beamed, clapping her hands. "You've gotta tell us how you play, Miss Babcock!"

C.C. took both brooms and handed one to Niles. "Oh don't worry, I'll show you, we just have to wait for- ah there they come!" C.C. waved at three individuals, who were walking to them.

"Harry, Ron, Moony! Good to see you!" the blonde witch greeted the newcomers.

"Good to see you too, auntie," Harry said, hugging his godmother. She immediately turned around to face her muggle friends. "This is my Godson, Harry Potter."

"How do you do, Harry?" Maxwell put out his hand for Harry to shake, and the boy did. "I'm Maxwell Sheffield, and this is Fran Fine."

"Hey there," the nanny smiled and waved, receiving a similar greeting from Harry in return. The boy almost seemed relieved when they greeted him in this manner.

"They are both Muggles," C.C. explained. Harry turned to look at her, and she continued. "We thought that robes might be more in keeping with everybody else."

Suddenly Niles understood the boy's reaction. Harry had been surprised that another two seemingly magical people hadn't been desperate to shake his hand, and was relieved that he had received the ordinary amount of attention warranted from someone he'd just met.

"So, kiddo, I see you brought your broom! It's time for you to have a Quidditch match against your old godmother – shut up Niles – and Moony."

Harry gave a half smile and mounted on his broom. "Of course, auntie."

"Now, wait, let's settle the rules here because I know your penchant for playing dirty," Lupin interjected, giving a step forward and a stern look at C.C. "We won't use the Bludgers, only the Quaffle and the Snitch. C.C. and Ron will try to score, while Harry and I will try to get the Snitch. Ok?"

The three other players nodded, and got onto their brooms as well. Fran, Maxwell, and Niles retired to the stands, allowing the players enough room.

Lupin released the Snitch, letting it get lost in the wide sky, and threw the Quaffle. C.C. swiftly got a hold of the ball, and expertly flew to the goal posts. Ron seemed to be no match for the blonde witch, who easily scored a goal.

Niles knew she had been a good player, but he hadn't know just how good she was. Both she and Harry were one with their brooms, and managed to pull off moves that defied gravity.

As the match progressed and points were made, C.C. began to use more daring tactics. The four players had also agreed that all of them could either score points or catch the Snitch, so as to make the game more interesting. Both godmother and godson were skilled flyers, and Remus and Ron were no match for them. At a certain point, the Quaffle was thrown to the stands, and just before it could hit Maxwell's face, C.C. dived to the stands and miraculously caught the ball. She then changed the course to the hoops, followed closely by Harry.

"You can't get me, kid!" C.C. mocked Harry. "Not even on a firebolt!"

"Ron, protect the goalposts!" Harry yelled at his ginger friend, who was already heading for the tallest post. C.C. sped up, and to everyone's surprise, she stood on top of her broomstick, and leaped - thrusting the Quaffle in the direction of one of the left goalpost. Niles observed her moves in awe, his mouth hanging wide open. She truly was a natural on the broom, and it baffled him just how easily she moved through the air. Well, after all her Animagus form was a swan – she was used to being in the air.

But the surprises didn't end there. As soon as she had scored, it seemed both Harry and C.C. spotted something on the ground, and sharply dived down. Niles' heart stopped, it seemed they were going to crash into the ground, but in the last second both players pulled up.

"Trying to use the Wronski Feint on me, kiddo?" C.C. released a loud laugh. "Please, what do you take me for? A rookie?"

"Good to see you still have it, Babs," Harry shot back at her.

"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet, kiddo!" C.C. cackled, and lowered herself against her broom, zooming along towards the glittering object in the near distance. She was just an arm's length away... when Harry caught up again. Godmother and godson flew side by side, neither quite able to outfly the other. Their small audience whooped and cheered for them both, the tension mounting. Even Lupin and Ron had stopped to watch the action. Who was going to get there first? Both players had their hands stretched out, neither giving up the possibility that they could grasp the Snitch first...

But Harry, with the speed and reflexes of a seasoned seeker, managed to catch the golden little ball only a second before C.C.'s hand got to it. The blonde witch groaned loudly, while her godson waved the Snitch in triumph.

"So, auntie," Harry smirked at C.C. "Who's the rookie now?"

"Don't push it, boy! It was sheer, dumb luck. I was a second away from getting it," C.C. grumbled, while descending to the ground. "And I was a chaser, not a seeker. That's the reason I lost."

Harry brought his broom to a halt, and touched down on the pitch, "Of course. That's the reason."

"It totally is the reason, and don't you forget it," the producer ruffled Harry's hair, and the pair of them went to meet with Ron and Lupin, who had gone to join their friends in the stands.

"That was wicked, Harry!" Ron gave his best friend a good-natured slap on the arm. "I thought she had you for a minute, there!"

"Considering I am 20 years older than you, I think I am the winner here."

"Can't argue with that, Miss Babcock!" Ron said, nodding in agreement. He received a slap from Harry, who feigned a glare of annoyance at his best mate. Both Fran and Max were elated, it certainly looked like Quidditch had been of their liking. Fran was particularly energetic, and she was bouncing up and down on her seat as she clapped at both players. C.C. turned to look at Niles, and found him gaping at her. She walked to him and placed her arms around his waist.

"So, what did you think, Butler Boy? Am I good?"

Niles closed his mouth, pretending to consider but in reality suppressing a beaming smile, "I guess you were alright..."

"Only alright? Well then, maybe you and I should play a little one on one," C.C. grinned, poking him in the sides. "See which of us comes out on top, huh?"

Niles quirked an eyebrow, "That sounds like a very interesting proposition, Miss Babcock. Are you sure you still have energy left after your game?"

"Plenty," C.C. removed her arms from his waist and placed them around his neck. "Whaddya say?"

"I say we go and have lunch, seeing as we do have guests to accommodate," Niles' hands found their way to the small of her back. "And then we come back here, and I show you how they played Quidditch when I was here."

"Hm, sounds fair. But if you lose, Hazel, brace yourself for the consequences," she purred.

"Is this a challenge, Babcock?"

"You can bet it is. And if I win..." the producer approached his ear and murmured, "I'll show you just how fun a one on one with me can be. Only this time the pitch will be our bed."

Her voice had dropped an octave, and sounded husky. Had she been looking at Niles, she would have seen the glint of curiosity in his eyes, and how they seemed to have taken a deeper shade of blue.

"I like that plan, very much," the butler's voice had also lowered, and he nearly whispered the words into her ear, brushing his cheek against hers. Their moment was interrupted by someone's throat clearing. The couple started, turning towards the source of the noise. The others were watching them, thankfully too far away to hear their conversation, but close enough to be watching. Maxwell shifted awkwardly, and tried to start talking with Harry and Ron, whilst Fran stared at the couple adoringly, her hands clasped and her eyes shining.

Lupin tilted his head to one side slightly. "Are you two quite ready? Lunch should be being served soon."

C.C. exchanged a glance with Niles, and immediately turned to their friends. "We certainly are! After all this action we are famished."

"Then let's gather the Quidditch supplies and go back to the Castle."

Once the balls and brooms were safely put away, the small group walked back to the Great Hall, chatting lively with each other. Max seemed to be engaged in an interesting conversation with Harry, while Ron was walking alongside Fran, a huge grin on his face.

"I hope their lunch is just as good as their breakfast was," Fran happily babbled away. "All this activity's left me starving!"

"The food's great here," Ron replied, grinning. "There's loads of it, and so much to choose from-"

Niles and C.C., meanwhile, walked just ahead with Lupin, only catching snippets of the conversations behind, but not really caring what was being said. They had their own conversation going, and both were still slightly occupied in their thoughts by what they had discussed down at the Quidditch field.

As they stepped into the Great Hall, a bushy haired girl walked to Harry and Ron, while the pair flashed a smile at her "Hello, Hermione!" said Harry, "This is my godmother, if you didn't remember, and her Muggle friends," Harry gestured at both Fran and Max.

"Hi there!" Fran waved at the girl. "I'm Fran."

"And I'm Maxwell," the producer smiled.

"It's lovely to meet you both!" Hermione replied with a friendly smile. "Are you all joining us for lunch?"

"Certainly!" Maxwell nodded "We are famished!"

As part of group settled on the now empty Gryffindor table, Niles and C.C. stayed behind. No one except Lupin noticed, and a small smile brightened his usually tired features. The pair was standing at the entrance of the Great Hall, kissing softly. They seemed to be lost in their own little world, and the sight reminded him a bit of the way C.C. and Sirius used to be when they were a couple. The werewolf was glad his friend had finally moved on. He was well aware she had chosen to be alone for over fifteen years – it was about time she found happiness again.

At the teachers table, many professors were observing the development with attention. Minerva was practically beaming and her hands were clasped together. "Albus, at the rate this is progressing, I think you're going to lose our bet," she murmured to the headmaster.

"You know, Minerva, smugness is not a feature I admire in you," Dumbledore replied, sipping from his goblet.

They watched as the couple finally allowed time for lunch, and joined the rest of their friends at the table. During lunch the couple almost didn't talk, they only had eyes for each other. They both felt something had shifted inside them, as if there was a big change currently going on inside of them in that very same moment. The bond they were creating seemed more real and intense than anything they'd ever experienced before. It was as if their very souls had a need for the other...

The group retired shortly after they had eaten dessert, and just before they left, they heard a whispered 'I love you' coming from Niles. Minerva once again glanced at Dumbledore and smiled smugly at him "My dearest headmaster, how I adore to win our little games. I'll start thinking about what I could spend my money on."

"Love does not always equal marriage, Minerva," Albus pointed out. "They still have some time to spend getting to know each other, before rushing into such a commitment."

"Very well, Albus. I will not hold you to our arrangement just yet," McGonagall returned her attention to the food still on her plate.

They returned to the Quidditch pitch, only this time it was C.C. and Harry, versus Ron and Niles. Both Max and Fran were giddy for the match; if their verbal sparring was entertaining, they couldn't imagine what an actual Quidditch match would be like.

"Ready to lose, Babcock?" Niles said, getting on his broom, one of his boyish grins gracing his features.

"Oh my, aren't we a bit overconfident?" C.C. retorted, her voice having taken the same haughty tone she used when they sparred.

"Not overconfident in the slightest," the butler grinned. "I just know that very problem happens to be your weakness."

Lupin had volunteered to act as referee, and as soon as all players were in position and prepared, he began the match by firing a red spark from his wand. The Quaffle was thrown to the air, and CC captured it, giving a loud cackle. She and Harry zoomed towards the posts, with Niles and Ron following them closely. She saw Niles approaching her from the corner of her eye, and immediately yelled "Harry, Porskoff ploy!"

Once the black-haired boy had positioned himself beneath her, the blonde dropped the ball and let her godson grab it. The action evidently took Niles by surprise, causing CC to grin. "I told you were being overconfident, Hazel!" she shot at him.

"I'll show you who's overconfident, Babs!" Niles yelled back, turning his broom around in order to catch up with Harry.

C.C. laughed to herself, and dove to catch up with the other players. Harry still had the Quaffle and was headed for the goalposts, but Niles was nearly right alongside him.

Harry threw the ball to C.C., who caught it a second before Niles did. She sped up, raising her arm to throw the ball into one of the goalposts. At the last second, Niles forced her to change the course, missing a goal opportunity.

"See what I mean, Babcock?" he smirked. "Overconfident."

"Shut your trap, Hazel!" C.C. spat between gritted teeth, and dived down. The producer zigzagged through the air, successfully leaving him behind for a short period of time, which she used to pass the ball to Harry, who scored the first 10 points of the match.

"Ha, ha, ha, Butler Boy, who is overconfident now?"

"The game's not over yet, Brunette," Niles shot back, swerving around to catch the Quaffle before it hit the ground. He passed it to Ron, who took off towards the other end of the pitch, C.C. and Harry on his trail.

Niles caught up to them, keeping just enough distance to allow Ron to pass him the ball as need be, but not so close that it would be easy for Harry or C.C. to tackle him.

"Come on, Potter! You can't let me down now!" C.C. yelled at her godson, who was flying close to Ron, almost getting him. Ron passed the ball to Niles a second before Harry got to it, and as soon as the ball touched the butler's hands, he threw it into the goalposts, earning his team 10 points.

"Yes!" Ron shouted in triumph, and flew close to Niles to give him a hearty slap on the back.

"I wouldn't get celebrating just yet!" C.C. caught the Quaffle, and raced off to make it to the other end of the pitch before either player on the other team got their concentration back.

"Sneaky wench!" Niles screamed as he saw her mark yet another goal. He had to admit it, she was fast and had some amazing reflexes – he had to keep up with her rhythm. C.C. laughed loudly and mouthed at him a silent 'overconfident maid' before handing him the ball.

The match went on and on, until both teams were even witch 70 points each. The Snitch was nowhere in sight, but Niles wasn't thinking about it, he only had eyes for the Quaffle currently being held by C.C.. He flew to her side, and struggled for the ball. She suddenly let go of it, and Niles grabbed it tightly, while taking off to the goalposts. But she didn't follow him, instead she dived down. It was then when Niles realized what had happened... she had spotted the Snitch!

Dropping the Quaffle, allowing it to be caught by Harry, he turned his own broom into a dive, intending to follow her.

He'd played Beater in his school days, but he could still keep up as a Seeker if he gave it his all. C.C.'s broom was only a few feet in front of him, and getting ever closer...

They were flying close to the ground, but nothing prepared him for what the blonde witch did next. He watched with utter amazement how she stood on her broom, leaned over... and jumped! "Babcock, what the bloody hell?!" he yelled as she rolled onto the ground.

Winded, C.C. rolled onto her back, laughing, and holding up a fist in victory. Clutched in her fingers was a tiny, still wriggling golden ball.

Niles slowed his broom to a halt, and touched down on the ground, walking over to her side.

"I told you, Rubbermaid, you were overconfident," she grinned, rubbing a sore spot on her knee.

"You insane woman! How did it occur to you jumping was a good idea? You were at the hospital last week!" he admonished.

"Tsk it's nothing," C.C. waved a dismissive hand, while playing with the golden ball between her fingers. "I'll have some bruises, and that's it."

She held out an arm for him to take. Niles frowned for a moment, but seeing her expectant look, and taking into consideration her clear experience with flying, he decided to let it go. He pulled her to her feet, and into a tight hug. C.C. chuckled softly. "You know what this means, right?"

"Hm?" Niles blinked, shifting his head against her shoulder.

"Well, winners get prizes, but losers get commiserations," C.C. explained suggestively. "And I think I know just the way to do that, later."

She felt Niles tense at her remark, but soon his hands found their way to the small of her back while his lips searched for hers. "I can't wait," the butler murmured against her mouth and engaged in another sweet kiss.

Harry and Ron were standing a little bit behind them, carefully observing their interaction. Harry had a knowing smile on his face, and Ron seemed amused.

"Mate, isn't it strange seeing your godmother... uh, for the lack of a better word, snogging?"

"Nah, she's been lonely for far too long. I used to want her and Sirius to get back together, but she seems happy with this bloke, and that is fine by me."

The two friends shared a grin as Lupin, Maxwell and Fran came down onto the pitch to join them, the nanny chattering animatedly about what she had just witnessed.

"They are at it again?" Maxwell whined. "I don't know what is worse: having them fighting and pranking the other all day long, or them snogging all day long!"

"Come on, Mr. Sheffield, it's cute!" Fran retorted "Although I wish some other brit was snogging right now," she murmured under her breath.

"What did you say, Miss Fine?"

"Nothing!"

"Hey, what are McGonagall and Dumbledore doing here?" Ron asked loudly, while pointing at the two cloaked figures walking to them.

This caught the attention of everyone. Even Niles and C.C. tore their eyes away from each other to look. Lupin came over, finishing up from collecting the Quidditch equipment, and the little group met the two professors.

"Is something wrong, Professors?" C.C. asked, glancing quickly at Niles and their friends.

"The time has come to place the Fidelius charm, Miss Babcock," Dumbledore explained, bringing out his wand.

The four individuals gasped in surprise, they had completely forgotten about that and about the...

"THE KIDS!" Maxwell, Fran and Niles screamed in unison, startling everybody around.

"MISS FINE, HOW COULD YOU?!" Maxwell yelled.

"How come this is my fault?!" Fran asked indignantly.

"You are the nanny!"

"Well excuse me, you didn't exactly protest us leaving either! And you're their father!" she shouted back.

"Oh... yeah... right."

"You should learn to shut up, sir." Niles gave his friend a look.

"And so should you, Niles." Maxwell barked at his butler.

"Maxwell! Now, don't get aggressive with Niles or you'll force me to lock your lips again. Do you want that?" C.C. pointed a warning finger at him, while she drew out her wand.

"No, no, I do not. Thank you so much for your advice, Niles," Maxwell replied bitterly, flinching away from C.C.. There was a moment of silence, before the producer shook himself out of it. "But this is getting us nowhere! The children are still at home by themselves!"

"I think I can help with that," Dumbledore interjected, reaching put his hand "Grab onto my hand and we'll Apparate back to New York in a second. Let me use Legilimency on you, Miss Babcock, so I can get a good look of Mr. Sheffield's house."

"What is le-" Fran started.

"Not now, Nanny Fine! Ok, professor, I am ready."

In a split second, both the professor and the producer were gone. Fran and Maxwell yelped, and held onto each other. The Englishman became embarrassed and let go, but the Queens-born nanny continued to hold onto him for a while longer. Ignoring her for a moment, Maxwell asked, "Is that what we did, in order to get here?"

"Indeed it is," Niles replied, his eyes having not moved at all from the spot where C.C. had disappeared.

Dumbledore came back only minutes later, transported both Fran and Max, and finally, he came back one last time for Niles. When the butler landed on the doorstep of the Sheffield's mansion, he spotted both Max and Fran retching on some poor bushes.

"Sissies," C.C. scoffed.

"Just because...you've been doing...this for years...!" Fran heaved, coughing. "Oy, what a waste...that lunch was magnificent and now look at it!"

"I'd really rather not," Maxwell gasped, wiping a little sweat from his forehead, before gradually returning to a standing position.

"Miss Fine, have you got a key? I didn't take anything with me when I-"

"Oh please Maxwell, we don't need one!" C.C. exasperatedly took out her wand and pointed it at the door " _Alohomora."_

They heard the lock clicking and the door was open to them. Max stared between C.C. and the door in bewilderment. "You-you can unlock everything you want with that curse?"

"Spell," she corrected him, "It's a spell. And yes, it can open almost everything."

"Almost anything...?" Fran seemed fascinated by the very idea. She was no doubt imagining all kinds of scenarios where that kind of power could be useful.

"Yes, but don't get any ideas," Niles muttered to her as the group made their way through the door. "Personally, I only tend to use it for emergencies."

All five made their way into the living room, Maxwell calling up the stairs for the children as they went past.

The noise had attracted the three Sheffield children, which were now standing before the five adults, mouths agape. They didn't know what was weirder, their father, butler, nanny and C.C. dressed in robes, or the strange looking man standing beside them. They did also notice the wands in Niles' and C.C.'s hands. "Dad...? Niles? What the..?" Brighton's voice trailed off.

"Where were you?!" Maggie added.

"Hi dad, hi Fran! Why are you dressed as wizards?"

Everybody stared at Gracie in astonishment – well, everybody except Dumbledore. "Gracie, how did you know...?" Max asked softly.

"It seems that your child is quite perceptive, Mr. Sheffield," Dumbledore grinned "No wonder, she is a witch, too."

Max turned to face the old headmaster and promptly fainted.

"I always knew there was something special about the little one!" C.C. beamed.

"Sure you did..." Niles grumbled, levitating Mr. Sheffield to the sofa.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!" Both Maggie and Brighton screamed.

"It's a long story, kids. Just wait a second, and we'll explain everything," Fran tried to calm them down, taking each one by a shoulder and steering them more directly into the living room. Once Maxwell was comfortably stretched out, she pointed them towards Niles and C.C., who were still reeling a little from the revelation but otherwise seemed calm. "But Niles and Miss Babcock can probably give you a little extra information."

When Maxwell awoke, he found himself laid out on his sofa. His friends and his two eldest children were gathered around, looking concerned. The old headmaster was stood a little ways away, chatting with Grace.

"Wha- what happened? I had the strangest dream, they told me Gracie was a witch!" Maxwell said, rubbing his hand against his forehead.

"That was not a dream, dad," Brighton spoke, a wide smile on his face "There is a little witch in the family!"

"And Niles, Fran and Miss Babcock told us everything!" Maggie chimed in.

"Not only that, but Dumbledore has also offered Gracie a place in Hogwarts. Seeing as she is part British..." Niles added, levitating a tray of tea to Max.

"Oh...well, I suppose that's one less conversation I have to..." Maxwell didn't even notice the tea. His eyes had widened as Niles' words sunk in. "What was that last part?"

"Professor Dumbledore said I could go to Hogwarts, Daddy!" Grace seemed thrilled at the prospect.

Maxwell sat up rapidly, "Wait, wait a minute! Let's just everybody calm down and think this over rationally!"

"We are calm, Maxwell; you're the only one who's yelling," C.C. pointed out.

"Don't you think it's wonderful Mr Sheffield? Our baby, a witch! Oh God... I ... am ... so ... proud of you!" Fran let out in between sobs, as she pressed Gracie to her body.

"And Niles said he'll help me with my homework! And Miss Babcock promised to teach me how to play Quidditch and fly on a broom!" Gracie practically yelled in excitement.

"I bet you'll be a Ravenclaw, just like me!" Niles said with a gentle smile.

"No way! I am turning her into a Slytherin!" C.C. interjected.

"I personally think she'll be a Gryffindor," Dumbledore contributed, stroking his beard.

Max was still stunned. The room was spinning – or was it just his head? He almost didn't hear the others talking over Grace's possible future at Hogwarts. It was all still so strange...first, his butler and his business associate had gone to a school for magic, and then he himself had gone to visit, and now all of a sudden, one of his children could be enrolled there!

Dumbledore walked to the clearly lost parent and sat next to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Sheffield, I assure you Hogwarts is the best for a young witch like Miss Grace. She'll have the guidance of two wonderful wizards at home and she'll be taught by the best professors in Britain."

The producer nodded slowly, taking it all in. "If Gracie has magic, she should be in the best possible place to learn what she can do," Fran agreed, one arm still around the little girl. "And we have seen what the place is like - we know it's good!"

"Yes...that is all true," Maxwell sighed. "But how is it possible for her to have magic? No one in my family has ever-"

"It's all thanks to Sarah," C.C. cut Maxwell off, a watery smile on her lips. "I always sensed there was something magical about her, something out of the ordinary, but I never expected it to be latent magic."

Maxwell had to support plopped his back against the back of the sofa. "Sarah was a witch?!"

"No, she wasn't, but she had magic within her and it seems it only manifested itself when she passed it on to your third child," the blonde explained.

Silence hanged around the room for what it felt like hours, but were only minutes. The revelation had affected the many Sheffields in different ways, and it was what Maxwell needed to finally make up his mind. "Alright, then," he choked out as he wiped a stray tear away. "Gracie, if you wish to go to Hogwarts, then that is what you shall do!"

"Thank you dad!" Gracie ran to her father and gave him a tight hug. "I promise you'll be proud of me."

Maxwell flashed a smile to his daughter, while tucking a loose lock behind her ear. She looked so much like Sarah... "I already am. After all, not everyone can say they have a witch in the family!" Maxwell's chest swelled with paternal pride.

"Yes, dad, but professor Dumbledore said we have to keep it a secret, right?" Gracie glanced at the Headmaster, who nodded at her.

"Yes indeed, Miss Sheffield. Now, shall we start with the placement of Fidelius Charm?"

"That's probably for the best, Professor," C.C. nodded. "The sooner it's done, the better."

"I couldn't agree more," Niles slipped an arm around C.C.'s waist.

The Professor took out his wand. C.C. followed suit, and the two of them began to place the two wizards worked in silence, slowly protecting the family and their house of the upcoming danger. The only moment they spoke, was when C.C. acknowledged herself as Secret Keeper. Once the charm was successfully placed, both wizards lowered their wands and nodded in approval.

"Well, it's done now," C.C. said, visibly happier. "Thank you professor."

"It's been a pleasure. I shall retire back to Hogwarts now. Good evening to all of you."

"Wouldn't you like to stay for dinner, professor?" Fran chirped. "It's the least we can do to thank your generosity!"

Albus appeared rather touched by the offer. "Why, thank you, Miss Fine. Ordinarily, I would be delighted to stay, but unfortunately I cannot," the professor began to walk towards the stairs, no doubt taking advantage of the clearer space in order to Apparate. "Perhaps another time, when I officially come to present Miss Grace with her acceptance letter?"

"We'll be delighted to receive you," Maxwell gave the headmaster a curt nod.

"It's settled then. Until the next occasion," Dumbledore waved them goodbye and Disapparated.

The seven remaining individuals stood in silence for a few seconds, but soon enough the ripple of conversation echoed inside the mansion. Gracie sat with Niles and C.C. in the kitchen, listening to their stories as Niles prepared dinner, and the newly discovered magical world dominated the conversation during supper.

After a pleasant meal, and a delicious dessert, everybody said goodnight and headed to their rooms. C.C. – to Fran's utter happiness and Maxwell's utter horror – walked into Niles room.

Once inside, the blonde producer placed a locking spell on the door, and caught Niles' lips in a hungry kiss, which soon grew heated. Items of clothing began to be dropped around the room, until both were in their underwear. They fell onto the bed, and Niles slowly positioned his body on top of hers. He suddenly pulled away, and looked into her eyes.

"C.C., wait, we need to talk about this."

"What about?" she blinked up at him, both a little annoyed and a little worried that he would choose now to bring anything important up.

"I need to know if you are ready for this. I am sorry for asking but, how many men have you been with since Sirius?"

C.C. looked away, a bit ashamed of herself "With none. They tried, but I... I couldn't. I felt I was cheating on him."

Niles sighed, retreating a little from her to allow her to sit up. "A-and...how do you feel now? About us...doing this?"

"I wouldn't have started something I don't intend to finish!" she said softly, placing a kiss on his cheek "Niles, I fell out of love, and actually you had a lot to do with it."

Niles gave her a confused look, and C.C. sighed, "Let me show you."

She looked for the pensive in her robes and dropped a silvery memory in it. "Come look."

Niles walked to her and dived into the pensive. He was transported to Grimmauld place, and saw both Sirius and C.C. on the verge of ending in bed.

" _Stop, please, stop," C.C. whispered, gently pushing Sirius' hands away. "I... I can't."_

 _The black-haired man stared at CC, confusion written in his hollow eyes. He opened his mouth, but immediately closed it, not understanding her. "I am sorry Sirius... I just can't." CC wheezed, looking away from him._

 _"Why? How can I prove to you that I am innocent? Or I am just repulsive? I spent 12 years locked up, you know!" he spat at her._

 _"It's not that, Sirius, I know that you are innocent, and you are not repulsive, it's just... I..." C.C.'s words trailed off, not knowing exactly how to explain to her former fiancé that her heart didn't belong to him anymore._

 _But Sirius wasn't stupid, and soon enough understanding settled upon his shoulders like the heaviest of burdens. "There is someone else, right?" his voice sounded hurt, broken, dead._

 _This was why C.C. had delayed meeting Sirius, things had changed beyond repair, they had been apart for too long, and she had fallen out of love. He, on the other hand, hadn't._

 _C.C. sighed, and paced around the room, avoiding his gaze. "Yes... no... Oh, I don't know! I feel strong things for this man, and he's been a constant in my life for over 10 years now... I don't know if he's my enemy, or if he's my friend... things are confusing! We... we kissed, and I just... he's just..." C.C. finally looked at Sirius, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I loved you Sirius, I loved you so very much... But everything that happened changed me. You sent me away-"_

 _"I SENT YOU AWAY TO PROTECT YOU!" Sirius screamed, punching the wall, "I ASKED YOU TO HIDE BECAUSE VOLDEMORT WANTED YOUR HEAD! Do you really think I wanted to break my engagement to you? Do you really think I wanted you to leave? My best mate and the woman I love were in mortal danger, what was I supposed to do?"_

 _"COME WITH ME! You should have come with me! I asked you, I begged you to let me be there for you, like Lily was there for James, but you preferred to push me away, Sirius! I was so confused when they framed you, I was so broken... after they locked you up, I couldn't bear to even think of you, but every man that got near me was a carbon copy of you! I suffered so much... and then he came into my life, making it impossible and keeping me on my toes. He was the one who, unknowingly, pulled me out of the hole your absence left. The wound scarred, Sirius, my heart had to heal, and I changed," C.C. was now standing inches away from Sirius. She could hear his heart beating wildly against his bony chest, and his grey eyes seemed to be scanning her baby blues, looking for something she couldn't give him._

 _"What is his name?" he asked in a brittle._

 _The blonde hesitated, but she knew she owed it to him "His name is Niles."_

 _"Do you love him?"_

 _"I... I... I don't know."_

Niles couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. C.C. had given up Sirius – whom she could have had back – for the very idea that she could potentially have a future with him, instead. She had given up the man she had loved for all that time, for the man she once claimed to have despised. He looked over at C.C., who was watching him instead of the image before them.

"You see?" she asked. "Even though I didn't know fully what we could have, I knew couldn't go back to him. It felt...wrong. I know now why that is."

They pulled out of her memories, and staggered back to the bed. Once again Niles took his place over C.C., but in his eyes she didn't see lust – no, she saw something entirely different. She gingerly took her hand to his cheek and pulled him down for a kiss. "I gave up on Sirius, because I felt the right thing was to be with you. To love you," she whispered against his lips.

She suddenly felt her face moisten, and she realized, he was crying. Confused, C.C. reached out a hand and used her thumb to wipe away his tears. "Niles, what's wrong?"

But he couldn't answer, he had a lump in his throat preventing him from speaking, so he just caught her lips in a kiss and tried to pour all his unspoken emotions in his kiss. C.C. felt like she was in heaven, no one had ever kissed her like that! It took a while, but once her senses had recovered from the daze his kiss had caused, she pulled away and again wiped his tears away. "What's wrong, lover?"

How could he voice the magnitude of the love he felt for her? How could he voice how honoured he was that she chose him? How ground shaking had it been to discover that he had made her fall out of love with Sirius? He kissed her again, still unable to properly form the right words. This time, it was slower, deeper, and it gave him some time to compose himself. It also gave him an idea of how to show her just how much he felt for her. As he broke the kiss, he took a deep breath, running his fingers through her hair, and leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you, so much..." he eventually managed, positioning himself over her so that he was between her legs.

"And I love you, Niles," C.C. replied, giving him a relaxed smile and placing her arms around his neck. "Now perhaps it's time we showed each other how much?"

And so they did. That night they became one, not only in a physical sense, but also in a deeper way, in a spiritual way. It was as though all the doubts and fears they both had had of ending up alone, broken, or even forgotten, had melted away. They had no rush and the pace they chose was slow and gentle, so as to show the other the extent of their love.

After they came back down from their respective peaks, C.C. curled up against his side, while he held her to him. Their left hands were entwined, and so were their legs. Her head rested on his chest, for she found the beating of his heart comforting.

"That was fantastic," she breathed against his skin.

"You were fantastic," he replied in a husky voice, his hand softly brushing her back.

"I never knew..."

"It could feel this good?" Niles completed. "I know, me either."

C.C. chuckled at him finishing her sentence, and arched her back to stretch a little. He let go of her slightly to allow her to do so. "Comfortable?" he asked when she returned to her previous position.

"Mm. Very," she replied, turning her face towards his skin in order to plant a kiss there. Niles smiled and held onto her tightly, content to let the world outside just pass the both of them by, as long as they could stay right where they were.

"Now you won't be able to say I am not a woman." C.C. had a wicked smile on her face "The amount of times you screamed my name are proof of that."

"And you won't be able to say I have a little spatula anymore,"

"Meh, it was fine..." she feigned an unimpressed look.

Niles put on a look of offence, which caused C.C. to giggle. There was a pause, and then he grabbed her sides with both hands. "I'll give you something to laugh about!" he declared, starting to tickle her.

"Niles!" she cried out, her attempts at batting his hands away proving futile. She began to laugh louder as he pulled her flush against him, poking her in the sides and anywhere else he thought might provoke a reaction. Eventually, both got tired of the game, and wrapped their arms around each other, just enjoying the comfort in the warmth and the closeness.

They fell asleep still wrapped in each other's arms. Everything was right in the world that night, they had no worries. There was no war, no loss, no death... just love.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter 9_**

 ** _Welcome to the Order_**

"What?! I won't have it! Niles is not going to be part of the Order! I forbid it!" a livid C.C. Babcock screamed at Dumbledore, who – as usual – remained impassive.

Barely six months had gone past since Niles and C.C. had become a couple, and they already wanted him to put his life in danger? To C.C. it didn't make sense... joining the Order was no child game, and for a wizard like Niles – one that had never been trained to fight – it would probably represent the hardest challenge of his life. There also was a part of C.C. that didn't want to see him get involved in a war that wasn't his; this was her fight, and the mere thought of losing him was enough to bring her to tears.

No. She wouldn't have it. Niles was not going to take part.

"I refuse to put him in more danger than it's necessary!" she finally sentenced.

"Miss Babcock, Mr. Brightmore is just as capable of handling danger as you are," the headmaster replied evenly.

"Please, C.C.," Remus looked her square in the eye as he tried to reason with her. "To forbid him from completely joining the cause is to potentially deny us victory. We need all the wands we can get, and Niles is most certainly able."

"And, might I add, you did agree to let him assist," Dumbledore continued.

C.C. narrowed her eyes. She and Niles had been alone when they'd had that conversation. Well, she thought they had been alone, anyway...

"He wasn't trained to fight! Hell, he wasn't even in the UK during the first magical war! You want me to accept him joining a war which will be deadlier than the previous one?! I can't accept it. I already lost a partner once, I won't go through that again."

"Training or none, we know that Mr. Brightmore is capable of powerful magic. If you help him, he might advance further, and be ready for activity within the Order," Professor McGonagall suggested. "Remus is correct – we do need all the help we can muster up."

"And with the pair of you here, instead of just one, there might be a possibility of..." Remus searched for the most tactful words. "Fewer casualties."

C.C. gaped at them, "I don't believe what I'm hearing!" she rose from her seat, intending to walk away from the table, but Remus grabbed her by the wrist.

"C.C. wait, you must hear me! We all lost Sirius, we all lost James and Lily... you know what we are fighting for – who we are fighting against... "

C.C. glared at him and yanked her arm away, "That's exactly why I can't accept Niles joining the Order! I can't, ok?! I won't be responsible for any more deaths!" the producer hissed, slamming a fist against Dumbledore's desk. Every word uttered to try to convince her otherwise fuelled the fire that burned inside of her. Every attempt for her to even consider training Niles was like gasoline to it, and she feared the fire that had been ignited within her would soon demand release in the form of unwanted violence. But it wouldn't be physical violence, no, her cutthroat words would probably be her deadliest weapon; she knew the weak spots of the people around her, she knew were to hit for the blow to hurt... but, although C.C. could feel the burning rage hissing through her body, she didn't want to reach to that horrid point.

No. She took a deep breath and tried to compress the anger that was steadily swelling in her chest back to the dark hole in her heart, where it belonged. The producer looked between McGonagall, Dumbledore and Lupin and she spoke again – her voice wavering due to her barely controlled wrath. "You are asking me to train my boyfriend when there is a great possibility for him to die? What the bloody hell is wrong with you?! I got into this, but I won't accept him being at risk so there are 'fewer casualties'. I'll fight, you know that, but I can't... I can't train Niles."

"This is not your decision to make, C.C.," a sudden fourth voice said behind her. The blonde spun on her heels to find Niles standing by the headmaster's office door, wand in hand. "It's mine, and as I said before, I will fight with you."

"What are you doing here?" she almost hissed.

"I invited him here, Miss Babcock," Dumbledore interrupted. "This is a meeting for Order members, after all."

C.C. looked back and forth between Niles and the other members of the Order, "You...? You already accepted him?!"

Remus avoided looking directly at her, "As I said, C.C., we need all the wands we can get."

But Niles wasn't just another wand. They didn't understand. She looked to the butler, her eyes pleading.

"I said that I would protect you," he said simply. "This is the best – the only – way I can do that."

Niles saw the finally unleashed rage burning in her light-blue eyes. It was not her usual anger –explosive and menacing – but a far more dangerous one. It was a silent type of anger, a colder type of anger. He had never seen her look this hostile before, nor was it usual for her to remain quiet for so long when she was enraged.

Lupin gave a step towards C.C. , but with a swift move of her wand she pushed him away.

"Don't touch me," her low steel voice echoed in the room. C.C. glared at everyone, especially at Dumbledore and Niles, turned around and stormed out of the room. They just didn't understand. None of them...

Wanting to be alone, she ran as fast as she could, towards the seventh floor, where she knew the Room of Requirement was hidden. She needed a place to relax, a place where no one could find her until she didn't want to so, naturally, that room seemed like the best choice.

She almost didn't realise she had arrived to her destination, for she was still too caught up in her own anger. C.C. only stopped when she spotted the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet and the proceeded to walk past the hidden entrance three times.

A heavy wooden door suddenly materialised in front of her, and the woman smiled to herself when she stepped inside; the room had turned itself into a tranquil garden – the sun peeked through the tree branches, there were tangled thickets of thorns, beautiful flower beds, and warm soft breeze blew over, ebbing some of her anger away. In its centre there was a small pond with flowering lily pads and a wooden bridge that crossed the middle and led to a nice Gazebo – which had a large hammock inside it.

 _Yes. This was exactly what she needed._

She collapsed on the enormous hammock with a huff, and – much to her delight – the hammock began gently rocking itself. C.C. had an inner turmoil, she didn't quite understand what she was feeling. She felt sad, angry, worried, scared... the blonde covered her eyes with her hands. Why had she opened up to Niles? She had only put him in more danger! Granted, if she had kept her identity a secret they wouldn't be together, but was it worth it? Was a relationship with him worth risking his life? She'd rather be apart from him than seeing him get killed. Besides, he was no fighter, he was not a warrior... not only she'd have to see him risk his life for her, but she'd also have to train him. That was just sick.

Meanwhile, Niles was nervously pacing around the headmaster's office. She was furious, that was obvious... but why? She had allowed him to help! Why didn't she let him protect her? He guessed it had to do with how she had been protecting herself all these years, and after so much loss she wouldn't be able to handle another death...

Niles shook his head – no, he wasn't going to die, that was not going to happen.

"Mr Brightmore?" Dumbledore's voice interrupted his thoughts.

He stopped pacing, and looked up, "Yes, Professor?"

"Perhaps, if sitting in on the rest of this meeting will only be a personal hindrance, you should go after Miss Babcock."

The butler thought it over more. He had wanted to go after C.C. as soon as she'd left the room, but had sensed that she wanted to be alone. But at the same time, he knew that the only way to resolve the issue was to talk things over, and to do that, he had to find her. It had been some time now, as well...perhaps she wouldn't mind so much if he came to look for her now? It would probably take him some while to look for her, anyway, the castle was so big and the producer gave no indication of where she was going...

That was settled, he was going to look for her.

"Yes sir, thank you," he nodded briefly at the headmaster, excused himself to the other Order members, and left the office, making sure the door was shut behind him.

He had known finding her was going to be difficult, but after having looked for her everywhere around the castle – including the Shrieking Shack – he was clueless. Knowing her, if she needed time she would've probably gone to a location no one could find her – which ruled out the Sheffield mansion, her penthouse and their room at Hogwarts. Niles massaged his temples, forcing himself to think about every possibility...

And he got it.

He smiled smugly to himself as he headed to the seventh floor, and eventually walked in front of the Room of Requirement's entrance. Just as he had expected, nothing happened so this could only mean one thing: It was currently being used by someone, and that someone was probably C.C.. He sat himself before the hidden door, mentally congratulating himself for his brilliance – well, he was a Ravenclaw after all.

He didn't want to force his way in if she was using it and didn't want anybody else coming in with her. That would probably only make things worse. The butler resolved to wait for a while and see if she came outside. It was possible to remain in there almost indefinitely, but he had a feeling in his gut that C.C. wasn't going to do that. She'd calm down at some point, and he'd be waiting to talk when she had.

Almost an hour later, Niles saw the doors appearing before him, and shortly after, a red-eyed C.C. stepped out of them. She had been crying, and was applying some concealing charms to hide what she considered a weakness. The blonde had spent entire years without shedding a single tear, but it seemed that when it came to him, her control over her emotions was almost null.

Niles slowly walked to her. In her eyes he first saw a glint of surprise, quickly replaced by the same cold anger he had seen before. Bloody hell... It seemed she was royally pissed off.

"What do you want?" she spat, folding her arms over her chest.

"I think that we should talk about this."

"What's left to be said?" she turned away from him, starting down the corridor, Niles following hot on her heels. "You've joined the Order, the others are expecting me to train you, and when the time comes, you could potentially be killed. And all of it will be my fault, because I couldn't protect you well enough, and I'll have lost somebody else and I can't do it anymore, Niles!"

She had stopped as she began to rant, her voice becoming quicker and louder, until she broke down crying again in the middle of the corridor.

Niles stood just behind her, wanting to take her in his arms, but unsure of how she'd respond to being touched at that moment. He thought over what she'd just told him, and cocked his head to one side.

"Who's to say that you wouldn't be able to protect me?"

"I just know it Niles, something will happen, and I'll be alone again. I'll have to bear yet another blow," C.C. felt her tears cascading down her cheeks, something extraordinary unlike her and that made her feel... weak.

Yes, that was the word – weak. She had never felt so weak in her life, not even after being crucioed and stunned. "Good God!" she groaned, "What is wrong with me?!" C.C. yelled, furiously wiping her tears away. She took a deep breath, trying to regain some of her composure, but it seemed the tears were determined to fall, whether she liked it or not.

Niles stood grounded to the spot, unable to believe her words. She was already blaming herself for his death, and it wasn't true... he had never stopped to think just how heavy her burden was, he had never thought she was actually breaking down. In some way, her weakness made her more human. Tentatively, he reached out for her, and slowly pulled her into his arms.

Still sobbing, C.C. allowed him to do so. He wrapped his arms around her back, and she put hers around his middle, and she cried against his chest. Niles rested his head against the top of hers. "I...I don't want you to die, Niles," C.C. eventually managed to say. "I don't know what else to do..."

One of the butler's hands came up to cradle the back of her head, fingers running through her hair. "I don't want you to die, either," he hugged her tightly. "And this is the only way I can make sure you're safe."

He pulled away from her, wiping her eyes before placing his hands on her shoulders. "Now, at this point most people would have declared that they had reached an impasse and probably not speak for days," he began. "But I don't want us to do that. The only thing worse than us screaming at each other for me is us not interacting at all. So, instead, I am going to please ask that you trust me, in this, and allow me to fight alongside you." C.C. opened her mouth to protest, but Niles stopped her. "Please, let me finish. Let me fight alongside you. Forget about what the Order wants for one moment, and think about we both want, as well as what I've already said. This is the only way I can protect you, and if you allow yourself to train me, then you stand a good chance in protecting me, too. You're a powerful witch, and I believe you can do that for me. We can protect each other. And I'd rather die at your side tomorrow, than live the rest of my life in New York without you."

C.C. slowly felt the deep despair ebbing away, his words comforting her a lot more than she ever thought they would. It was true, she couldn't bear to lose him, but so couldn't he. She realized she had been selfish in asking him to stay out of it when, had she been in his place, she'd have been kicking and scratching if he had asked her to stay behind. She didn't want to them to drift apart, either, and it seemed the price to pay was to face evil together...

Well, two is better than a one. Right?

"Wow Niles, that sounded an awful lot like wedding vows. You know, all about dying by the other's side and stuff," she teased him, finally allowing the ghost of a smile to touch her lips.

"Well, you bring out my softer side, you see," he smirked, his arms falling down to her upper arms, where his thumbs began to caress in small circles. "So, are we agreed?"

C.C. hesitated, but ended up giving an approving nod. "We are agreed."

Niles cupped her cheeks and pulled her face up for a kiss. "Good. So, teacher," both producer and butler grinned at his choice of word. "When will we start my training?"

C.C. chuckled lightly and took his hand in hers as they walked down the corridor. "Tomorrow. We have no time to waste! I warn you, rookie, you won't know what hit you."

"I look forward to it," Niles grinned.

The pair walked out of the castle, hand in hand, and headed for Hogsmeade. The short distance between the ancient castle and the village was covered in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Although she was considerably calmer than a few hours ago, having to train Niles was still a bitter pill to swallow. After having him at her arm's length for years, she didn't fancy the idea of preparing him to fight a war now that they were a couple. It still surprised how the man who she had once called the bane of her existence, was now what fuelled it. She was scared of how fast they were bonding, and of how good things were going. Even if they had ended up together more by accident than by design, he now had become the only person who she had let in after having pushed the rest world away for over ten years. Niles had become the one person who managed to ground her, he had become her very centre, hence the fear of losing him being all consuming and paralysing – it was always there, like a monster hiding in the shadows. She shook her head, trying to push her troubling thoughts to the back of her mind. She couldn't allow emotion overtake her, she needed to focus on what was best for his training and for the Order.

C.C. screwed her eyes shut; it was like a deja-vú of the first war, and she could only hope this time she wouldn't lose her partner. Niles seemed to have sensed her discomfort, because he had placed his arm around her waist and pressed her to him as they walked. His touch soothed her, and she chose to revel on the feeling of it instead of thinking.

They Apparated back to her penthouse, and headed for the bedroom. The pair divested of their clothes, and Niles lied down on the bed. C.C., on the other hand, walked to the bathroom.

"What are you doing, Babcock?"

"I need a hot bath," she replied softly "the day was far too complicated and stressful."

Niles nodded in silent acknowledgement as the blonde disappeared inside the bathroom. With a flick of her wand, the tub slowly began to fill as C.C. took off her underwear. She poured some bath oils inside the water, and finally lowered herself into the tub, heaving a soft sigh the moment she was enveloped by the steaming liquid.

The blonde witch leaned her head against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes, the sound of water falling into the tub lulling her into a light doze. Soon, pleasant daydreams popped in her head, relaxing her further; the producer thought about her new life with Niles, about how fun it was being. Their dynamic had and hadn't changed – the insults and pranks were still there, but they weren't said to hurts the other – they were just a game and were bestowed with endearment.

She remembered one particular prank she had played on him shortly after they had gotten back from Britain; they were at a backers party, and Niles was serving the aperitifs. He was wearing a wonderful tux, and was using (to her delight) his fancy pants. She had seen him standing beside Mr. Sheffield and a few guests, holding a tray with food, so she climbed up the stairs, discretely took her wand out, and petrified him. He instantly knew what had happened, of course, but she had found absolutely hilarious to see him collapse to the ground, unable to move and dropping the tray over one of their investors. An exasperated look from Maxwell forced her to lift the curse, but it had been fantastic.

He had gotten back at her soon after, though, when he poured some Babbling Beverage in her tea the day she had an interview with an important magazine. Yes, magic had certainly made things between them a lot more interesting, and had given them a new repertoire of insults.

C.C. was suddenly brought out of her musings by the feeling of someone slipping inside the tub with her. She opened her eyes and found a beaming Niles in front of her.

"I thought about it, and I believe that I am in the mood for a bath, too," he said whilst pulling her to him. He sat her on his lap, and his hands travelled to her shoulders and began applying a delicious pressure on them.

"Well, I must admit baths are a lot more entertaining when they are shared," she grinned.

Oh yes, life with him was definitely sweet.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter 10_**

 ** _I await a guardian_**

The following morning C.C. woke up to find herself alone in bed. She didn't worry, though, for she could smell the enticing scent of food being prepared coming from the kitchen. She took some minutes before getting out of bed; she stretched lazily under the warm covers – which now had adopted Niles' scent – and ran her fingertips along the silken mattress, revelling in the soft material underneath her body. The rising sun was streaming through the window – it seemed Niles had kindly opened the drapes when he had gotten up of bed – warming her skin and illuminating her wide bedroom.

As she sat up, C.C. spotted his clothes neatly piled on the chaise long just by her bed. It made her feel a strange warmth inside. It had been years since the last time she had awoken like that, feeling utterly content and at peace with the world. She had never experienced such a fulfilling domestic bliss with Sirius, but life with Niles... it was simply unique. It was almost ironic, the man who could make her happy like no other person could, had been disguised as her enemy for over a decade.

Finally deciding she had no other choice but to get out of bed – not to mention that the delicious smell coming from the kitchen was making her stomach rumble – she tossed the duvet aside, put on her slippers and headed for the kitchen. C.C. could hear the muffled noises of Niles moving around – a pan being deposited in the sink, coffee being poured inside a mug, the droning noise of Niles humming an indistinct song... those sounds had become absolutely familiar to her in the past months, so much so that her morning was simply not the same without them. Whenever Niles had to leave for the mansion before she awoke, the penthouse felt awfully lonely, and she usually ended Apparating to the Sheffield's home before too much time had passed.

One of the things she loved the most was how relaxed Niles seemed in the morning. It was no secret that she wasn't a morning person, but Niles... Niles was in his element. It would be a lie to say that his early cheerfulness didn't bother her sometimes, but she had grown to find it endearing; it simply was one of the many things that made Niles who he was, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Morning, lover," she greeted him in a hoarse voice as she stepped into the kitchen. Just as she had suspected, Niles had prepared a number of delicious aliments for them to enjoy. She couldn't help but to smile when she noticed he had prepared his special waffles – her favourites.

"Morning, sleeping homeliness," Niles said placing a plate full of waffles on the table.

C.C. wandered around the edge of the table in order to press a good morning kiss to his lips, and wrapped her arms around his middle, laying her head on his shoulder. He chuckled, reciprocating, and, as they parted, he planted one more kiss on her cheek.

"We should eat, before it gets cold," he gestured at the food, and pulled out a chair for her.

The producer took her seat, smiling and determined to enjoy the morning; inside she felt a little uneasy, but there was no point in ruining the morning, too.

Her unease stemmed from the fact that sitting down to breakfast meant that soon breakfast would be over, and then they'd have to get ready for the day, and getting ready for the day meant starting training. But she'd agreed to do it, and she wasn't going to ruin a perfectly good start to the day by being fearful of something they'd already talked over several times.

Attempting to dismiss the thoughts, she tucked into the waffles. Niles, however, had noticed that she seemed a little distracted. She was probably planning how they were to start training that day, so he let it slide. He didn't want her to lose focus, and they were having such a peaceful breakfast, it seemed like a shame to disturb the atmosphere.

"Niles, this waffles are delicious! You never made them at the Sheffield's," C.C. exclaimed, helping herself to another serving.

Niles glanced up, smiling at her "Oh yes, they are a special recipe from my mother, and as it requires magic I never really had the chance to use it at the mansion."

"Well, they are fantastic. Speaking of your mother, where is she now?"

Niles relaxed, it seemed she was in the mood for light talk, and the slight worry he had seen in her eyes had momentarily disappeared. "She's in Paris, she moved back to her homeland during the first war."

C.C. grimaced slightly " Oh, so she's in France now..." her attempt to reply had been quite feeble, the mention of the war having reminded her of the upcoming one.

Niles quickly knew he had to distract her, and while he smothered some whipped cream on his waffle he cleared his throat. "And how is Stewart? The last time I saw your father was two years ago!"

"I'm not really sure," C.C. began carefully, stabbing another forkful of waffle. "He hasn't really been in touch with me after the last time he was back in the area. I mean, he's called a few times, but..." She sighed, lowered her fork, and turned her head to look out the window.

Niles frowned. Well, his change of subject hadn't quite gone to plan. But it gave him what could be a good idea, if all parties involved allowed it to be. "Does he live in the city?"

C.C. turned back to the table, facing him again, "He lives upstate, at the family home. Why?"

The butler shrugged, cocking his head from side to side, "Well, I thought that maybe it wouldn't be so bad...if we paid him a visit."

C.C. had to do a double take. She stared at him, not exactly knowing how to respond to his proposition. Visiting her father? What for? She hadn't talked much to him, especially since she had to go into hiding. When she had been young Stewart had supported C.C., and he was quite proud of having a witch in the family, but after he saw just how dangerous her world could be, he had asked her to get permanently away from it. This had led to a long argument, and her saying that he couldn't change what she was. Since then their relationship had been estranged, and she wasn't sure if visiting him when there was yet another war coming was a good idea. "Um... I ... well..." she mumbled, nervously playing with her food.

"It might be good for you to see him," Niles suggested gently, setting his cutlery down. "Give you both a chance to clear things up, before..." The silence after he spoke was lingering. C.C. looked up at him expectantly. He saw that a glint had appeared in her eyes again, but it was the same look of distraction and worry that he'd seen before. "Before anything happens," he finished lamely.

It was as is an alarm had gone off inside of her. What was he suggesting? That something could happen to her? To him? She felt her chest slowly tightening, and a deep fear invading her heart. By now her discomfort was thinly veiled, the blonde woman was clattering her nails against the table – something she only did when she was nervous – and had looked away from him. "I'll... think about it. I… um... I finished my breakfast, I'll go get changed," she stood up and scurried back to the room, without even giving him time to respond and leaving her half-eaten waffles behind. He heard the sound of the bathroom door being shut, and sighed.

 _Damn._

He shouldn't have said anything. If he'd left it, they'd still be enjoying a nice breakfast, and they would most probably have started training afterwards. He rose from his seat and began clearing the table, having lost what remained of his appetite. He replayed the conversation in his head as he scraped the leftovers into the garbage and washed up the dishes. He couldn't believe he'd been so inconsiderate with his words! Of course the thought of anything happening was sending her into a panic – a war was coming, and the idea of people just suddenly disappearing out of other people's' lives and never coming back was both a terrifying and very real prospect.

He finished putting the last of the plates away, and walked back into the living room. He wasn't totally sure if he should go in and see if C.C. was alright. Waiting for her had helped yesterday, in the long run. He seated himself on the sofa, deciding a patient approach might once more be beneficial.

He should have known better than to say that, he thought. It was the first time in over a decade she allowed herself to be close to someone, so it was no wonder why the thought of death paralyzed her. He was frustrated, there were a lot of things he still didn't know about her. She was a really private person, and opening up was a herculean task for her, because it meant remembering the ghosts of her past. He took his wand from his pyjama pocket, and transfigured his nightwear into simple training robes. He then turned on the TV, in a vain attempt to distract himself.

Meanwhile, C.C. was curled up in a ball against the bathroom door. She had to relax, she chastised herself, she had to be in control. But how could she? The training she had in mind was... intense, to say the least, and it seemed the upcoming war was coming faster than either of them thought. She stood up, walked to the counter and planted her hands on it.

"Breathe, C.C." she ordered herself.

The blonde inhaled, held her breath for a second, and then exhaled. She repeated the action several times, until she felt her heart had stopped galloping. She hated talking about her family, and for good reason. To start with, her mother had never liked her being a witch, and one of the reasons she had divorced Stewart was because he had allowed C.C. to go to Hogwarts. B.B. blamed C.C. for putting them in danger during the First Magical War, and for some reason her words had rooted inside her head, and sometimes she feared her mother had been right.

Both of her siblings had a distant relationship with her (more D.D. than Noel, though) and for completely different reasons. D.D. envied C.C., she had always resented the fact the producer had powers while she didn't. C.C. remembered talking about this with Lily, for it seemed that both of their older sisters –Petunia and D.D. – despised them for the same exact reason. Now, in Noel's case, the reason was much simpler: Age gap and distance. Noel was almost 12 years older than C.C., and they hadn't shared much as kids apart from occasional bets, summer holidays or games. She knew he loved her (In his own way…) and she loved him as well, but they hadn't shared much. Both of them had been shipped away to boarding schools and never had had a chance to bond.

In conclusion, her family life had never been the best, and being so different from them didn't help, either. As much as she had tried to bond with them, her nature was different. Her muggle relatives –centred in the snobbish world of New York City – couldn't understand her or her world. When she came back from the UK, she had had to adapt quickly to their world, so as to fit in, to not stand out. She still was a bit of an outcast though; her time in Muggle college had been pretty much lonely -except for her friend Sarah, of course. With time she had blended into the elite of New York, and – as years went by and she grew bitter and angry with life – she was eventually drawn to the very core of that fake world. She had craved to belong, to feel accepted like she had felt at Hogwarts, but all she got were fake smiles and friends, and so –eventually – she became a cold viper, too.

Certainly going back to her old world had been a nice change, and having Niles by her side was a wonderful plus. She was also thankful she didn't have to hide her nature to Maxwell or Fran anymore, for it made her feel a little bit freer.

While lost in thought, C.C. took her wand, and with a quick spell she did her make-up and combed her hair. She then walked back to the room and into the wardrobe, where she retrieved one of her old training robes.

It still fit, even after all this time, and was durable enough that though it had been years since she'd really even given it a thought, it had no tears or patches of worn fabric where spell damage had taken its toll. It would be perfectly adequate for wearing during training. The thoughts and fears were starting to creep back in just looking at it. But she had to do this. She'd said she would do this, and there was no backing out of it now. Taking another deep breath and seizing herself up for what was about to start, she left her room.

Niles was watching the television when she entered the living room. At least, to anybody else, that's what it looked like he was doing. But if you looked closely, you could tell he wasn't really paying attention to the images flashing on the screen, and if he was listening to anything at all, it wasn't to the stupid jingles that seemed to repeat themselves obnoxiously over every single ad every few seconds. She walked over, the noise of her shoes coming closer causing him to look round and leave behind whatever seemed to be on his mind at that moment. He'd changed for the day's activity, too, his previous Muggle clothes replaced with a new training robe. He looked...ready. He'd have to be. She wanted him safe when the time came and all gloves were off, so she wasn't planning on going easy on him.

"You ready to go?" she asked, her voice hopefully maintaining a tone of positivity.

He practically jumped from the sofa, and walked to her. "Yes sir!" he mocked, trying to distend the tense morning they were having.

She allowed a small smile to form on her lips, it almost felt like another normal day at the mansion. "I like this new title, planning on using it on a regular basis?" the blonde witch asked as she entwined their hands together.

"Only when you are in charge."

"I'm always in charge, lover boy, and you must keep that in mind if you intend to survive being my partner."

"I certainly will," he smirked, dragging his thumb slowly over her knuckles to caress them. "So, where did you intend on whisking me away to, in order to start this training session? That is, assuming we're not going to be firing off spells right here in the living room."

"You'll see, Hazel. For now grab my hands tightly," she straightened her posture and so did he. She envisioned their destination, and in the blink of an eye they had Disapparated.

The pair landed on what appeared to be a large clearing. The landscape was beautiful – the sun was bathing everything with its golden light, a few tall trees surrounded them, and there was a nice lake nearby. A figure stood a few feet away from them, and Niles flinched at his… peculiar… appearance. His face looked as if it was roughly carved from wood, it was covered with scars, and a chunk of his nose was missing. He had dark grey, grizzled hair and a wooden leg. His eyes, however, were his most shocking feature: one was small and dark, while the other was a vivid, electric blue magical eye that moved around independently from his normal eye.

"You are late!" the man growled at C.C.

"Only five minutes late, Alastor," she responded calmly.

"Five minutes that could've been spent in training," the older man grumbled, firmly shaking C.C.'s hand. With his real eye still on the producer, the magical eye swivelled, and looked Niles up and down. "Niles Brightmore, I presume?"

Niles, unnerved by the action, stumbled back a step, but regained his ground and cleared his throat, "Yes...yes, I am."

Alastor turned the rest of his head to where his blue eye had settled, so that he now actually appeared to be addressing Niles. He offered him his hand, "Alastor Moody."

Niles took it, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Hm. We'll see about that," Moody gave Niles' hand a bone-crushing squeeze. "Not a bad grip, I suppose. If he keeps hold of his wand that tightly, we might have something to work with, here." Out of the corner of his eye, Niles thought he saw C.C. flinch momentarily. He supposed it was all definitely becoming real to her now. But as soon as what he saw had registered in his mind, it was gone from her body language.

"Has he ever been in a fight?" Moody asked C.C., who shook her head at him. The older wizard grunted, as if his lack of experience was a nuisance. "Then we should show him what a real duel looks like, don't you think Babcock?"

Niles saw the edge of her mouth curving up, and a fire he had never seen before seemed to be ignited in her eyes.

"I agree. It will be like the old times, just you and me," C.C. walked away from Moody and drew up her wand. Moody did the same, and Niles instinctively retreated.

"Looking forward to see if you remember anything I taught you," Alastor growled and immediately threw a curse at her. C.C. deflected it with ease, and instantly attacked back. Niles was almost terrified, for the pace of the fight was extremely quick, and curses were flying everywhere.

" _Stupify_!" Alastor's spell hit C.C. square in her chest, but to Niles' surprise, she only yelped and remained on her feet.

"You fucker!" she hissed.

"That's a compliment coming from you!"

Moody threw another curse at her, which C.C. dodged by twisting out of the way. "I was going easy because I was always taught to respect the elderly!" she retorted.

"Don't get distracted! Use your magic, Babcock!" Moody yelled at her. "This is a duel, not a ballroom – no dancing past spells!"

C.C.'s smirk dropped from her face, and she became serious. "Fine! Alright, let's go again!" with a wave of her wand, she easily launched another spell, which was deflected. The duel raged on, and Niles' mind shifted from fear to enthrallment. The speed and agility in their movements, and the power of the spells no matter if they landed or were deflected...it was all mesmerising! His heart was beating out of his chest, and his head was filled with the sounds of curses flying and the various effects they had when they hit their mark.

He found himself often focusing his attention on C.C. – he was marvelled by her power, he had never imagined just how strong her magic was. She threw curses and spells with no mercy, an impassive expression fixed on her face. Her eyes seemed to scan everything that happened around her, and she seemed to plan her moves way before she made them. She resembled a skilful chess player, and he knew for sure her mind was only focused on creating strategies to beat her opponent.

Eventually, one of her curses hit Moody, and he immediately attacked back, causing her to drop her wand. Niles thought they would stop fighting now that she had lost her weapon, but they didn't.

"Come on, Babcock, get it back!" Moody screamed, throwing a stunning spell in her direction.

The blonde dodged his attack and ran towards her wand, successfully avoiding the many spells that were aimed at her. The moment she regained her weapon, she turned around, pointed her wand at him and yelled " _Bombarda_!"

Alastor was thrown through the air, and landed unceremoniously on the ground. Without losing a second, she summoned his wand and effectively disarmed him, finally putting an end to the duel.

"That was easy," she scoffed, helping Moody up.

"Well, what did you expect? We are only showing this rookie what an easy duel looks like, we can't possibly expect him to learn how to fight Death Eaters on his first day."

Niles looked between them in bewilderment, his eyes as wide as saucers. That had been an easy duel?!

"You're just upset because I won," C.C. retorted, before turning to face the butler. "Relax, Niles, we don't expect you to know everything all at once. We'll start small and work our way up."

"I am not upset," the older man huffed. "If anything, it simply served to prove that I am an excellent teacher – you remembered your training well."

"Thank you," C.C. smiled graciously. "Perhaps we should try and focus on training Niles now, though, rather than adding fuel to the fire of your ego." Both Niles and C.C. looked at him expectantly, and the older man made a grumbling noise in the back of his throat.

"Alright!" he barked, before addressing Niles. "Brightmore, do you have any experience with defensive spells?"

"Not much, no," the butler replied, feeling slightly ashamed. He was a wizard, and yet he had so little experience with anything that could be useful...

"Hm. Then I suppose we start there," Moody began walking back to the spot he had stood in to duel C.C.. "Stand here. Babcock will stand where she stood, and I will guide you through the motions, while she fires off the offensive spells."

"Hang on a second, what?" C.C.'s eyes became wide. "You want me to basically throw curses at Niles?"

Moody gave her an impassive look, "Would you rather I did it?"

Niles looked between the two of them. From what he had just seen, he knew both were fairly equally matched, but there was something about Moody that made him think it was safer doing things this way.

C.C. seemed to still be thinking up a reason to argue back, but it soon became clear she had nothing, and shook her head, "No, it's fine. I'll do it."

"Come on, Babcock, you know you're good at throwing curses at me," Niles teased, trying to lighten the mood. "The ones you make about me being an overweight, old, irritating butler stung for utter seconds after you made them!"

C.C. feigned an unimpressed look as she turned to walk to her designated spot. "None of those types of curses could knock you unconscious if something goes wrong, Butler Boy," she called over her shoulder.

C.C. positioned herself before Niles, her wand clutched tightly in her hand. She was nervous, he could tell that for sure. Not that he was particularly calmed either, he didn't fancy being hit by potent curses that could physically injure him, but he had to do it, he couldn't back down now.

"Now, Babcock, please try to stun Brightmore here," Moody barked at C.C. and then turned to the man standing beside him. "You'll try to deflect her curse, using a counter-spell. You must remember to always hold your wand tightly in your hand. Your wand is your only weapon, and you must take care of it," Moody circled Niles, scrutinizing him as he walked. "Straighten your back!" the auror barked, and immediately Niles did so. Moody walked away from the butler and nodded at C.C..

The blonde witch gulped, and forced herself to attack him. "Stupefy!"

He tried to deflect it, but her curse was too strong. He fell back onto the ground, and, much to Moody's anger, dropped his wand. The old Auror made a loud noise of exasperation, waiting for Niles to scramble back to his feet, grab his wand out of the grass, and re-position himself.

"Again!" Moody shouted to C.C..

The next attempt didn't go that much better. The only slight improvement was that Niles managed to hold onto his wand as he flew through the air, landing on his back. Winded, but not in any position to give up, he struggled back to his feet, his wand clutched tightly to his chest. He walked back to where Moody was still stood, and set himself up again for the curse C.C. was about to throw at him.

"Come on, Hazel! After putting up with me for over fifteen years, this should be a piece of cake for you," she teased, her wand still pointed at him.

The butler rolled his eyes at her, although deep down he was happy to see her mood had lightened to the point of joking with him. He opened his mouth to reply, but an angry growl from Moody told him he'd better shut up.

"Enough chitchat! You are here to fight!"

"That was what we are doing," CC smirked "We always fight. Niles and I have engaged on a prank war for years!"

Moody seemed to be about to start ranting once again, when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and looked between them with a wide grin on his face. "Brightmore! This time I want you to do something different. The problem here is you are not putting enough intent in your counter spells. I want you to imagine yourself throwing a particularly good zinger at her every time she attacks you. I want your spells and counter curses to be physical representations of the way you two bicker."

Niles quirked an eyebrow, "You think it'll work?"

"Well, we won't know unless we try, will we?" Moody snapped. "Just try it and see if it works! Babcock, if you would...?"

Niles took a deep breath, thinking to himself, _'Imagine a zinger. She's just told you that your coffee tastes terrible today. Tell her that's because it's yesterday's_...'

C.C. aimed another Stunning Spell at him, and this time something felt different. He felt more prepared for it, and more relaxed. He even dug his back foot into the ground to steady himself, and as the red light shot towards him, he waved his wand...

And deflected the spell.

C.C. gasped in surprise, a wide smile spreading through her features. It had worked! Niles seemed to be just as shaken as her, but he also felt... secure.

"Again!" Moody bellowed, not giving them time to relax.

Immediately C.C. threw another curse at him, and he deflected it again. She tried over and over again, but her spells didn't get to him. It really was like the old auror had said, it was a physical representation of their little games. Niles was smiling smugly, now a lot more calm than he was when the lesson had started. Moody seemed to be just as satisfied as him, and was observing them with his arms folded over his chest.

"Excellent, Brightmore. Now you will try to attack her, and she'll try to deflect your curse. Clear?"

Niles stopped celebrating his newfound ability, but hesitated in answering. He almost wanted to say no, he wasn't prepared to try and attack C.C., because the idea didn't make him feel comfortable. But he knew that she'd just had to overcome fear herself, both by having to aim spells which could cause harm directly at him, and just by training him in general. Backing out of it because he was afraid would just be letting her down. He'd trusted her enough just now with his own health and safety, and he'd just seen that she could take whatever Moody could throw. Perhaps this would all be okay, after all...

"Clear," Niles replied, nodding.

The British butler looked at his partner, as if he were asking for her permission. C.C.'s warm smile reassured him she would be alright, and he finally pointed his wand at her.

"Show me the best you've got, servant," C.C. shot at him, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Suddenly, images of their first real kiss filled his mind, and felt the hand which held his wand tingling. It was as if the air was electrified, and Niles couldn't help but to lick his already dry lips.

"Brace yourself, trollop," he replied in a low voice.

C.C. caught on to what he was doing, and raised her own wand, as well as one eyebrow, "Can't stand here all day talking, Bell Boy."

Niles was about to reply in turn, but was interrupted. "Save the flirting for later!" Moody yelled. "Brightmore, your spell, if you would?!"

Shaking himself out of it, Niles imagined in his mind a zinger that was started by him, aimed, and cried out, "Stupefy!" C.C. deflected the spell with ease.

"Try again, Brightmore!" Moody began to pace, studying the stance of both his students.

Niles did as he was told, firing off another spell, which was again deflected by C.C.. She was skilled, there was no doubt about that, and used to repel spells much more powerful than the ones he was currently producing. It made him realise just how little he'd really practiced things like this, since he'd entered service.

He searched in his mind for a powerful memory, somethings that could fuel his spells. He knew it would take time for him to fight like C.C. , but he was also well aware that he was a powerful wizard, and with a little practice he'd be a worthy opponent.

As he unsuccessfully tried to stun her, he squeezed his brain trying to find a perfect memory. It was then when he thought about something, not exactly a memory of her, but one that had to do with her. He remembered the moment he was told Bellatrix had attacked C.C. –he remembered the blind rage he'd felt and how he had wanted to kill the black-haired witch. He remembered how much he had needed to attack the little lunatic, and he wondered if those emotions could be useful for the task he had to complete at the moment. He took a second before firing another spell, focused, and screamed the curse.

C.C. was taken by surprise, she hadn't expected such a sudden change in the intensity of his attacks. She wasn't able to deflect his spell, and was thrown to the ground with such force her wand fell from her hand.

"Excellent, Brightmore! Now, let's make sure that wasn't beginner's luck, and go again," Moody barked out, now about halfway between where the two duellists stood. "Babcock, are you ready?"

C.C. lifted herself off the ground, snatching up her wand as she retook her position, "I was born ready!"

"Then you must have had the gift of prophecy at birth, if you could see this happening, hundreds of years later!" Niles aimed another spell at her, which the producer deflected – but just barely. The power behind it made her dig her heels into the ground in her effort to remain standing.

She smirked at him, as he prepared to go again, "Make all the old jokes you want, Niles, just remember that I'm holding back on you!"

"How could I possibly forget if you're constantly reminding me?" Niles sent another Stunning Spell towards her, which C.C. failed to deflect, but was able to remain standing by balancing her weight on her back foot. She had been distracted by the banter, and was prepared to go again, when they were interrupted.

"Don't let your concentration lapse!" came a voice. That was when both remembered that Moody was still there, and still watching them.

"Later," Niles said to her, his meaning implicit. C.C. grinned, and winked in return. They then fell back into silent practice. Moody glanced between the two, decided he was better off not understanding, and went back to watching the practice.

As the lesson progressed, Moody allowed both wizards to attack and defend. C.C. was even allowed to use a few more spells on him, which Niles was able to deflect (almost) every-time. Moody observed the pair, an amused grin on his face. It was as if they were playing, as if they were engaged not only in a duel, but also in a battle of wits.

Well, the pair was a perfect match, he thought. The auror had scoffed when he had heard about the bet Minerva and Albus had going on, but perhaps putting some galleons in wouldn't be a bad idea. Moody stopped the practice around midday, and conjured a pair of sandwiches for each of them.

"So, Alastor, how did Niles do?" C.C. asked, throwing a mocking smile at Niles.

"I'd say pretty well for a rookie!" he replied with a throaty laugh. "Ah I remembered, we have to inform Dumbledore about the lesson. Would you please send him a Patronus with the details?"

"Sure," said Niles and C.C. in unison and conjured their Patronus.

And their mouths hanged open in complete and utter shock.

Before them didn't appear the usual bulldog and swan, but a lion and a lioness...

"Huh?!" both producer and butler were taken aback, backing away from the unfamiliar silver animals.

"This...is a new experience..." Niles eventually managed to get out.

"You can say that again...!" C.C. cried.

"What happened to my Patronus?!"

"Your Patronus? What about my Patronus?" having overcome the initial shock, Niles took a few steps towards the two big cats. "Mine used to be a dog!"

C.C. soon joined him in studying the two forms. They were...astoundingly beautiful, really. Once she'd overcome the idea of not seeing a graceful swan, seeing an equally graceful lioness instead seemed just as good, if not better, when seeing her paired with the lion Patronus.

"The two of you haven't figured it out yet, then?" Moody gave yet another throaty chuckle.

Niles and C.C. blinked, the producer questioning him aloud, "Figured out what?"

"A Patronus will change when the person who conjures it falls in love," the Auror explained. "And yours look...rather good together, wouldn't you say so?"

"...Oh..." Niles straightened up. He felt inexplicably happy for some reason. He knew that he loved C.C. with his all of his heart, but having it proven to him that the love ran as deep as his magic and could be reflected in it felt...exhilarating. The news hadn't quite sunk in for C.C. yet, though.

"Well, how do you expect us to know that, Alastor? We're not experts on Patronuses! I-"

"C.C.!" Niles turned, taking her hands to calm her down from the beginnings of her rant.

"Huh, what?" she turned to look at him. Niles gave her a knowing look in return, and the producer relaxed, her eyes shining with understanding. "Oh...!"

Niles pulled her to him and connected their lips with a sweet kiss. C.C. wrapped her arms around his neck, and allowed him to envelop her waist with his. As the couple kissed, Alastor had to suppress both a gag and a smile. He wasn't one for sweet things, but he'd let them enjoy this. After all, he knew just how much his former pupil had grieved the loss of her previous lover.

He stood up, and Disapparated without the couple noticing it – they were too centred in their own little world to do so. As soon as they discovered they were alone, however, the situation heated up. They didn't know where they got the courage to do so, but they quickly helped the other divest of their clothes, until their bare bodies were entwined together. Niles took his usual place on top of C.C., and kissed her soundly as he entered her.

This time, their love making felt... different… As if there was a whole new depth in it. They whispered sweet nothings to their ears while they rocked their bodies against the other, and kisses were exchanged freely.

When they finally laid together, basking in the delight that was the afterglow, Niles held C.C. close to him. He had placed her body over his own, and her head rested comfortably on the crook of his neck. Her soft breathing tickled his neck, and he could smell the delicious scent of her perfume mixed with the aroma of her shampoo. She had her eyes closed, and was humming in pleasure; no man had ever worshipped her body like Niles did. Every time they made love his eyes not only revealed just how much he lusted for her, but also how much he loved her, and he always took his time to appreciate every inch of –as he liked to say in the throes of passion – her perfect body.

Although their sex life had been fantastic since day one, this last encounter had been a turning point, for something had shifted inside both of them. This time not only they had felt their typical physical/emotional connection, it had been more. It was as though something inside of them had finally finished bonding… words weren't usually needed, but today they had been particularly silent. They had stared into each other's eyes, darkened by passion, and seen the other's soul bare to them. Their new Patronuses were a physical proof of that – that their souls were made for each other.

 _They were soulmates._

C.C. remembered she had felt a bit disappointed when that hadn't happen with Sirius, for she had believed that – Just as Lily and James – once they were officially together their Patronuses would morph… but they never did, and now she understood why. Her other half (good Lord, how corny it sounded) had been disguised as her enemy; funny twists that life gives…

She took his hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of his it, a gesture she knew he loved. Niles was currently on cloud nine. Who would have thought the woman of his dreams was C.C. Babcock? If he was being honest, he had fancied the blonde for years, but he had begun to harbour romantic feelings for her only after that mind blowing kiss in the Sheffield's den. He had been with a fair amount of women in his life, but he had never shared such a fulfilling intimacy with any of them.

For years his life had revolved around her, even when he just wanted to pester her; she had bewitched him, and there was no escape (Not that he wanted to escape at all, either). On the beginning of their relationship, he had finally felt connected to someone, he had found someone who he could love and cherish, and as they grew as a couple, it was as though something was pulling them together to the point of needing each other to get by… And today, during their lovemaking, he had finally realised just how much he needed her, how much he wanted her, how much he loved her… there was no going back, and he didn't want to go back either, he only wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"I swear this gets better every-time we do it," she said in a husky voice, softly tickling his chest.

"Indeed."

"I love you Niles, I love you so very much."

As she slowly dozed off, he conjured a blanket, and covered them both with it. He held her as she slept, enjoying the feeling of being able to protect her. When she slept she usually was the one who snuggled or hid in his arms, as if she needed protection – quite the opposite to her personality. Niles looked down at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, causing her to smile in her sleep.

"I love you, C.C.," he whispered.

Basking in the peaceful silence around them, Niles reached to the conclusion that he had made a choice, and a very important one - this woman, this wonderful woman, was the woman with whom he wanted to share life with. So, naturally, he'd have to propose.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Chapter 11_**

 ** _Quidditch Surprises_**

As the lessons progressed, Niles' skills as a dueller got better and better, and although C.C. was still reluctant to use certain spells on him, under Moody's guidance the pair seemed to be working just fine. Niles was also adapting to his new role as an Order member and C.C. was more than happy to use every Order meeting to pay her godson a visit, too.

That's why Niles and C.C. had been invited to attend Harry's Quidditch match that morning, and seeing as Madam Hooch was ill and had been ordered strict bed rest by Poppy, Dumbledore had offered C.C. the chance to referee the match. Both wizards Apparated at Hogsmeade at 11:00 am sharp, and walked to the castle hand in hand.

"You haven't stopped grinning over your face all day, you know," C.C. gave him a playful nudge in the ribs with her elbow. "You got something you wanna share with me?"

Niles chuckled, "Just enjoying myself, Babcock. I know you're not used to the sensation that is fun, but it's nothing to be concerned about."

"I'll show you fun, Hazel..." the producer gave him one more elbow in the side, and then slipped her arms around him, pulling him in for a kiss. "You sure there's nothing you have to tell me?"

"I'm certain," Niles replied. It wasn't exactly untrue – he had nothing to tell her there and then. The ring in his pocket was for later.

"Ah well, we have to get moving, then! I still have to get changed and I'd like to talk to Harry before the match."

"Lead the way, trollop!"

The pair was soon received by a beaming professor McGonagall. No one was surprised by her good mood, for if Gryffindor won this match they'd buy themselves an entrance for the semi-finals of the Quidditch cup. "Good morning Mr Brightmore and Miss Babcock," Minerva greeted them with a handshake. "How's your morning been?"

"Morning professor! I am sorry I can't stay and chat, but I really should get going to the lockers and get into Quidditch robes," C.C. excused herself.

"Oh, there is no problem, Miss Babcock. Go ahead, I'll walk with Mr Brightmore to the stands."

C.C. flashed a thankful smile at her former professor, pecked Niles on the cheek and walked in the direction of the Quidditch pitch.

Once C.C. was out of earshot, the butler – who was nervously rocking back and forth on his heels – seized the opportunity to ask an important question for his plan to work. "Minerva, would it be possible for me to get into the pitch once the match is over? Shall we say, the moment they catch the Snitch?"

Minerva quirked an eyebrow, her curiosity peaked. The older woman could see straight through Niles, and his nervousness didn't go unnoticed by her. "Why, of course, I don't see a problem. May I know why you intend to rush into the pitch?"

"You'll see in good time, professor," he offered, not willing to risk jeopardising the surprise. He couldn't contain the wide, goofy grin that was lighting his face, however.

"I'm sure I will," the professor pursed her lips, amusement clear in her features. "If there is one thing I can guarantee from yourself and your companion, it is a dramatic display."

"Believe me, Professor," Niles replied, heading for a bench in the stands, "I am hoping there will be a dramatic display. In a certain sense."

His answer was fairly cryptic, but not so much that Minerva had no clue as to what was going on. The professor smiled to herself, and got to wondering about the bet she'd placed with Albus as she took a seat next to her former pupil. She wanted a good view – both for the match, and for whatever Niles had planned for afterwards. Oblivious to the teacher's thinking and the beam Minerva was wearing, the butler began to scan the pitch below, hoping to spot C.C. before the match had started.

He soon found her, wearing pitch black robes and guarding the chest with the different balls. She had a whistle hanging from her neck, and he thought that she looked positively radiant. Every once in a while she glanced at her clock, and played with her wand in between her fingers. Her hair was neatly tied in a tight bun, but he could spot some rebel locks hanging loose. He sighed, and imagined the moment he could call that fiery woman his wife. It was funny, he thought, after years of fighting like cat and dog she had become vital to him. To be fair, she had been a vital part of his day even before they had gotten together – she was his home entertaining centre, after all. But now she was vital to him in a whole new sense; she was like oxygen, without her he couldn't exist.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the players to the pitch. The crowd cheered loudly, and soon enough C.C. was mounted on her broom, the Quaffle safely tucked under her arm.

Once Slytherin had also made their grand entrance, both teams flew to their positions on the field, while C.C. zoomed to the centre of the circle that had been formed by the players. As Niles' eyes returned to their previous focus, she began with the tradition of ordering the captains to shake hands and, once all parties were ready and all rules had been adhered to, C.C. blew her whistle, and the game began.

For the first time ever, Quidditch seemed to take forever for Niles. He was only just paying attention to who was winning, let alone who had the Quaffle, or had just been taken out by a Bludger. Nobody – not even Professor McGonagall, who was right beside him but paying more attention to her players out on the field – seemed to notice his restlessness and anxiety. He tried to distract himself by working out exactly what he would say before asking, but every time he thought of something, the very idea made him want the match to be over so that he could actually say it, instead of keeping it locked up in his head. He'd only lose the perfect words if the match went on any longer, and he needed this to be articulate.

He attentively watched her every move, almost to the point of bordering obsession. He could only think of her, and appreciate her beauty; her now loose golden hair shining against the sun, the lithe movements her tall and slender figure made, her deep voice screaming at the players and her throaty laugh that emanated from her whenever she witnessed a good play...

Damn, she had truly bewitched him.

Their relationship had developed slowly but steadily over the course of 16 years, he had learnt to love everything he once claimed to despise, and now he simply couldn't bear to live without her.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Harry caught the snitch and Gryffindor won the match. He suddenly felt his knees growing weak, he had broken in cold sweat, but taking his courage in both hands, the butler walked steadily to the pitch. He approached her as the players began to touch down to land, celebrating their win on the ground. Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were right behind him in order to congratulate the winning House, so the group of them together didn't appear too strange. But instead of hanging around to congratulate Harry, Ron, and the other players, he immediately headed for C.C., who had been the last to land. His knees felt weaker with every step he took, and all of a sudden he felt like he needed a drink. But he had to push through this, he admonished himself, or he'd never know otherwise.

She rushed over to greet him by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. "Niles! That was amazing!"

"I know; I saw everything!" he felt a little disappointed because he hadn't even been given the time to do it as he'd planned (approach, and go straight into the proposal as she got near), but he supposed that couldn't be helped. She was excited after the match, and it was difficult to be unhappy when she was completely the opposite. "You were a fantastic referee, and surprisingly didn't favour your House! How very un-Slytherin of you," he teased.

"Oh, well, thank you," she giggled, pulling herself closer to him so that their foreheads touched, and his arms slipped around her back. But something obviously wasn't quite right to C.C., because she pulled away to look properly in his eyes. "Niles, something's clearly up. You've got something on your mind. What is it?"

Niles took a deep breath. Right now was the time.

He dropped to his knee, and took the box from his pocket.

Immediately, a collective gasp was heard and a respectful silence swelled in the pitch. No one dared to cheer or talk, their eyes were glued to the couple in front of them. C.C. was rooted to the spot, and she could only look at him, eyes wide open, and realisation having struck her straight in the face. She felt her body was shaking, and her heart hammered against her chest. She had lost her voice, and could only cover her mouth with her hands.

"C.C. Babcock," Niles started in a strangled voice "you are the most wonderful woman I've ever had the honour to meet. Over the years we've been many things: enemies, sparring partners, friends, lovers... and, if you let me, I'd be honoured to call you my wife. So, my wicked witch, will you marry me?"

C.C. still hadn't found her voice at that moment. A thousand and one things were invading her mind all at once, and she wondered if this is what it felt like for one's life to flash before one's eyes. But everything she saw revolved around Niles...the day they met, the first time they exchanged zingers (a shadow of the adrenaline rush she'd felt swept over her again at that), their first non-accidental-if-alcohol-fuelled kiss (another rush of adrenaline), the moment she'd found out he was a wizard, their fights, the first time they made love, summoning their matching Patronuses, everything, up until the present day...every moment swirled in her head and swelled her heart, and every part of her wanted more. It was clear what the only possible answer was.

Swallowing, taking a deep breath to clear her head and to stop her from collapsing right there on the pitch, she looked him in his hopeful eyes and made her reply. "Yes."

C.C. extended a shaky left hand at him, and waited for him to slide the ring down her finger. For a second he didn't react, it was as though his mind had disconnected itself from the rest of his body. He felt fireworks exploding inside of him, and as her answer sunk in, he forced his trembling hands to take the ring to her finger... and pushed it down. They looked at each other, their visions now blurred by happy tears.

"I love you, C.C.," Niles whispered before he pulled her in for a mind blowing kiss. They didn't know how much it lasted, they didn't care either, but what they did know was that none of them had never felt something similar before.

When she pulled away from him, she smiled and said in a breathless gasp. "And I love you, Niles Brightmore."

It was then when they heard the deafening applause and loud cheers coming from the whole Hogwarts alumni and staff. Both Harry and Ron were whistling, and an elated Hermione was using her sleeve to wick away a few happy tears.

Beaming broadly, Niles wrapped an arm around C.C., and the two of them made their way over to greet their friends – the idea of that being as a newly engaged couple was strange, but not unpleasant in the slightest. Harry reached them first, and gave his godmother a tight hug, before turning to shake Niles' hand. They were then joined by Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore.

"Congratulations, to the both of you!" it was hard to tell if Minerva was crying because her House had won a place in the semi-finals, or because of her former students' new engagement.

"Thank you, thank you both so much!" Niles shook Albus' hand, whilst C.C. shook Minerva's, and then they switched, everybody now doubly in the mood to celebrate.

"We must invite you back up to the castle, in order to have a celebratory dinner!" McGonagall looked up to Dumbledore for his agreement.

"I quite concur, Minerva. Such an occasion must be marked, after all," the Headmaster's eyes glittered as he addressed the two former pupils. "What do say, you two?"

"We'd be honoured to accept your invitation," C.C. replied, her eyes going back to her fiancé (By Merlin...fiancé!) "We only need to go get our Muggle friends, after all they should know about our engagement."

"Very well then. Go back to New York and we'll be awaiting for your arrival at, say, seven o' clock? Does that sound good for you?" Minerva asked the couple.

"Yes professor, it sounds wonderful," Niles said with a smile "Now, if you'll excuse us, my fiancée and I need some time alone."

Niles went to sweep C.C. of her feet, and feigned she was too heavy for him to do so, only to receive a warning slap on his arm. He pecked her lips and finally lifted her into his arms, and carried her out of the pitch. The Hogwarts male students whistled at them, while the girls let out a collective "Aw". Minerva leaned closer to Albus, and discretely wiped away a few tears. The old headmaster circled her shoulders with his arm, and pressed her to him "There, there, Minerva. This only means a new beginning for them."

The Scottish witch nodded, and gave a little chuckle. "And you know what else does this mean?"

Albus looked down at her, his blue eyes twinkling. "No, I am not exactly sure."

She straightened, and extended an open hand at him "I won the bet. Now pay."

"Now, now, Minerva, you know I rarely carry money directly on my person. Besides, I assumed the bet only applied to them getting married. Weddings take time to plan, after all," Albus pointed out.

Rolling her eyes, Minerva turned her gaze back to the couple, who were heading rapidly for the exit. There was a twinge of sadness in Albus' assumption that a wedding would take time to plan, too. With the war looming ahead, a large celebration with a lot of money spent on it would be unlikely. But that thought was for another time. For now, it was better to let the two of them enjoy the rush of being engaged. The professor's face returned to a beaming smile. The war wasn't here yet, and there was plenty to celebrate in the meantime, and to occupy the thoughts with. Meanwhile, laughing and joking, the couple made their way down the path into Hogsmeade, C.C. having changed back into her day robes. She could barely believe everything that had just happened, and couldn't help but to admire her bejewelled had every few seconds.

"It won't disappear if you're not looking at it, love," Niles pulled her close to him as they walked, giving her a one-armed hug.

C.C. smiled. "I know. It's just...the more I look at it, the more real it feels, you know?"

They both stopped, facing each other. Niles returned her smile softly, and took both her hands in his own. "I do know," he leaned in, giving her a soft, slow kiss on the lips.

C.C. dropped one of his hands to cup his face, and deepened it. "Do you think that we could get away with anything here?" she murmured against his lips, her hand stroking down his face, towards his chest.

"Probably not," Niles broke the kiss to dust lighter ones over her chin and up and down her jawline. "We were definitely alone the last time."

He pulled away, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Later tonight," he promised. "After we've told Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine, and had dinner up at the castle. We'll excuse ourselves at the first possible moment, and have our own private celebration."

C.C. smirked in response. "I'm gonna hold you to that, Hazel."

Niles grinned, taking both of her hands, "And I can't wait."

They both then Disapparated, bound for New York.

The pair landed on the Sheffield's doorstep, both smiling like mad. C.C. rose her hand to the doorbell, but Niles stopped her. Seeing her questioning glance, he just took out his wand from his pocket and opened the door with a swift wand movement. The pair stepped inside, their hands still entwined, and to their surprise they found both Max and Fran watching T.V. in the living room. Fran was leaning against Maxwell's side, and it seemed that the producer was thoroughly enjoying her company. Both blondes shared a knowing smile, it was only a matter of time before those two ended up together.

The sound of the door being shut startled both Fran and Max, and they turned around to find a beaming C.C. and Niles.

"Oh, hi! You are back!" Fran jumped out of the couch and walked to them. "How was the match?"

"It was fantastic! Gryffindor won, I was the referee, and Niles proposed," C.C. said nonchalantly.

"Oy it sounds like a good after-" Fran's eyes widened. "NILES DID WHAT?!"

"Oh, you heard me!" C.C. teased, grinning all over her face.

"Yeah, I did!" Fran cried out gleefully, clapping her hands together. "Oh, come on, Miss Babcock! Show us the ring!"

C.C. proudly extended her hand for the nanny to admire. It glittered prettily in the light.

"It's gorgeous!" Fran sighed, and gave Niles a playful nudge on the arm. "You use some magic to get a ring like that?"

"No, just a very helpful store clerk at the jewellers' four blocks away," Niles smiled amusedly. "Some things, I believe, are best done the Muggle way."

"Well, I'm happy for the pair of you!" Fran beamed. Suddenly, she was unable to contain herself any longer, and embraced them both with a shout of happiness. "You're getting married!"

The couple hugged her in return, secretly rolling their eyes at each other from behind her back. They knew she meant well, but she could be so over the top sometimes! When the three friends parted, Fran turned to call for Maxwell, only to find him stood at the entrance to the living room, staring at the scene unfolding in the foyer. The British producer had an almost unreadable look on his face. After years of knowing him, though, Niles could detect happiness... and envy? Maxwell envied him? Why?

Although the wizard knew he shouldn't do it, his curiosity won the best of him and used Legilimency on him. Maxwell's mind was wide open to the butler, and what he found in there surprised him. He was not envious of him marrying C.C., but of Niles' courage to ask the woman he loved to marry him. The British producer was afraid, he felt that if he opened up to Fran, he was being unfaithful to Sarah. But, at the same time, he knew he had to move on, the only question was how he was going to do it.

Niles slipped out of his mind, enveloped C.C.'s waist with his arms and smiled at his friend. "So? Don't you have anything to say? I've finally domesticated this wild dog over here," Niles gestured at C.C. with his head, and she rolled her eyes in response. "We'd also like you both to be the best man and the maid of honour," he informed their friends.

"Always the bridesmaid, never the bride," Fran grumbled under her breath.

Maxwell overheard, and gave her a discreet nudge in the side. This caused Fran to change attitude, opening her arms wide and putting on a smile. "Of course I'll be your maid of honour!"

"And I'd be delighted to be your best man, Niles," Maxwell smiled. "I can't think of any higher honour than helping my oldest friends get married."

Fran muttered something about _'getting married yourself'_ , which the producer pretended to ignore. Instead, he put his hands together and addressed their magical friends. "Well, I think this calls for a celebration. How does a glass of champagne sound to everyone right about now?"

"Actually, we've been invited to celebrate at Hogwarts. We've came to take you with us," C.C. explained Max. "I tell you what, go upstairs with Niles and let him transfigure some of your clothes into dress robes while I'll go help Nanny Fine transfigure one of her tacky tramp attair- I mean, her clothes, into some nice robes."

Maxwell nodded at her and left for his room alongside Niles, while the two women stood still for some more seconds, both admiring the impressive stone on C.C.'s finger.

Soon, all parties were dressed appropriately for the castle. Through the light gossip the two women partook in and discussions of potential plans for the wedding, Fran had managed to convince C.C. to let her have a hand in deciding at least some of the features of her robes. C.C. was unwilling to let her at first, but eventually the two women settled on Fran being allowed to choose the colour and the trim. So the two women, C.C. in light blue, and Fran in bright pink, met the two men at the bottom of the stairs, Niles in mottled grey robes, and Maxwell in black.

"How do you two not trip over these things?" the dark-haired producer picked up his feet as he walked down the steps, concerned about putting his foot on the fabric.

"It's all a matter of practice," C.C. explained with a smile, taking out her wand. "Kind of like what we have to do now..."

"Woah, woah, hey, wait a minute!" Fran made a 'time out' sign with her hands, before pointing at C.C.'s wand. "You mean we're gonna have to get back to the castle the same way we did the last time?!"

"Apparition is the quickest way, Miss Fine," Niles took out his own wand.

"Yeah," the blonde producer agreed, shrugging. "I mean, we could wait for brooms to get here, but you've seen the way we fly."

"That is very true, Miss Fine," Maxwell didn't seem totally certain, but it was very clear he remembered watching the Quidditch game and had no desire to be on a broomstick himself. "And if it takes practice, we might not...throw up quite so much this time..."

Fran glanced between her friends, and sighed, "Alright, let's get it over with," she said determinedly. "But if I get anything disgusting on these robes, I'm not washing 'em."

C.C. scoffed at the nanny. "Nanny Fine, even if both you and Maxwell vomited over your robes, I could fix it with a simple spell."

The nanny seemed to consider this for a minute before releasing a loud and nasal laugh. "Oy, I sometimes wish I had powers, too! It would save so much time! You know, doing the laundry is one tiring shore."

"But I am the one who does the laundry!" a baffled Niles interrupted her. "You don't even fold your own clothes!"

Fran waved a dismissive hand at him. "No matter. I still wish I had those powers of yours. Now let's get goin' or the party will get started without us! And I really wanna munch on some of their delicious food."

Fran and Max proceeded to take their friend's hands, and braced themselves for what was coming. Surprisingly enough, this time Apparating hadn't felt so bad; they still needed a moment to recover and looked a bit off colour, but overall they were ok.

As the four friends marched to the castle, the two women engaged in a heated conversation about C.C.'s hen party. The blonde was reluctant to let the nanny plan it for her, and of course – being the pushy woman she was – Fran was trying to convince her otherwise. Max and Niles walked a little behind them, in silence. Niles was still thinking about what he had seen in his friend's mind, and wondering about how he could help him move one. Sarah's death had truly marked the producer, and sometimes it felt like he'd never recover from the loss.

"So, Old Man, I take you are doing both a magical ceremony and a religious one, right?" Maxwell asked, breaking the silence.

The butler nodded. "Yes, we've thought about setting the date in December. We want to get married here, in Britain."

"Well, there is a little chapel nearby my family estate. You could get married there!"

"That would be wonderful, sir, thank you!" Niles was both delighted and touched by the gesture. "I will of course have to talk this over with C.C., but-"

"Of course you will, Old Man. Take your time, it's your wedding, after all!" Maxwell interrupted, giving a slight wave of his hand in an almost dismissive manner.

"What will we have to talk over, Niles?" C.C. called over her shoulder, not ceasing in walking up the path.

"A choice of venue, love," the butler replied. "But planning can wait for now."

C.C. flashed him a smile, "Yeah, I guess. I mean, I don't wanna ruin my evening with any reminders that I'm getting married to you."

"Well damn, now that you've reminded me, I've gone and lost all my appetite!" Niles shot back at her with a smirk.

"You losing your appetite? That would be a first!" she retorted.

Max and Fran glanced at each other, an amused smile on their faces. No matter if they were wizards or Muggles, enemies or lovers, their bickering never stopped. They had to admit that –when they weren't trying to humiliate the other – their verbal sparring was quite cute.

When they finally crossed Hogwarts' gates, they heard muffled music pulsing from the Great Hall and the air was impregnated with the aroma of food.

"Oy, that smells good..." Fran inhaled a lungful of the scent. "I'm so glad my mother isn't here right now..."

"She'd want to be, though," Niles pulled a face.

"Those poor House Elves down in the kitchen would never know what hit them if she turned up!"

That earned him an unimpressed – if feigned – look from Fran. But it was too late to begin any more chat. The four of them made their way into the Great Hall, where they were greeted by Professor Dumbledore.

"Welcome, Miss Babcock, Miss Fine, Mr. Brightmore, and Mr. Sheffield," he gestured to four vacant spaces at the teacher's table. "Please, we have provided extra room for the four of you, and there is plenty of food to go around."

"Thank you very much, professor, both for the extra room and having organised this party for us," Niles said, C.C. nodding in agreement.

Dumbledore smiled warmly at them, almost in a grandfatherly way. "It's a pleasure. Now, shall we move into the Great Hall? It's your party, after all, and you might as well enjoy it."

To anyone's surprise, the party was absolutely delightful; and was quite concurred, too. All the members of the Order Of The Phoenix attended, and Harry, Ron and Hermione were allowed to remain at the party even after curfew. C.C. and Niles spent almost all the night together, and entertained the guests with their sparring and, after the music began to play, with their fantastic dance moves. At a certain point, Niles asked for a particular song, and C.C.'s eyes got watery when she heard the first notes of the melody.

"Our Love Is Here To Stay?" she smiled at him, while allowing him to slip his arm around her waist.

"I thought you'd like it,"

"You know, you can be almost charming when you are not being a mean, miserable old man."

"Funny, I was going to say the same about you."

Their dance ended in a spectacular dip, and as Niles brought C.C. out of it, the room broke into loud applause. The couple didn't really seem to hear, though. They were too busy staring at each other. At the side of the hall, their friends watched them happily.

"It really makes ya think, doesn't it?" Fran leaned over to mutter to Maxwell.

"Hm?" the producer came out of his faint daydream and looked at her. "What do you mean, Miss Fine?"

"Well, seeing two people so happy together, after spendin' so many years saying they hated each other," the nanny explained, shrugging. "Doesn't it make you wonder about how relationships can change?"

"Yes...I, uh..." Maxwell cleared his throat, straightening his robes and returning his gaze to the dancefloor. "I suppose it does."

Fran frowned, looking back at their friends. He was still avoiding the subject of where they really stood. Maybe she should talk more to Niles and C.C. about it, maybe take the blonde woman up on her offer of help in that department.

Hours later that night, after the party had finished and everybody had gone back home, found the two lovers entwined in bed together, blissful in the afterglow. C.C. was resting on top of Niles, a look of utter exhaustion and happiness etched across her features. Her hair was sprawled over his chest, and he was sliding his fingers through it. They had their eyes closed, but sleep hadn't claimed them yet. C.C. opened them momentarily, and fixed her eyes on the ring currently decorating her finger. It was a gold ring, with an inset emerald cut diamond. It was a beautiful piece of jewellery, really – it had both the perfect size and was sober and elegant, just like her. She then allowed herself to really think about the life changing event events that had happened that day.

She was getting married... even after what happened to Sirius, she had been able to find happiness once again. If she was being honest, she had never felt for Sirius what she felt for Niles; her love for the latter was all consuming, yet it brought fulfilment to her. For years the mere thought of falling in love again was an idea she had rejected, and willingly let herself become bitter and angry with everyone and everything. She had drawn enormous walls around her, and hid her pain from the rest of the world. But this man, this wonderful, caring and loving man, had torn them down, and helped her carry her burden.

Niles was woken from his light doze by the feeling of something dripping on his chest. He looked down... and found C.C. crying.

"Love? What's wrong?" he whispered, placing his hand under her chin, so as to pull her head up. She avoided the gaze of his cerulean orbs, and used her ringed hand to wipe away her tears

"I just... I... I was thinking about us and what happened today and I..." C.C. was visibly flustered, and a knowing smile crept to the butler's lips.

"You got emotional?" he offered, a hint of good natured teasing in his voice. C.C. hid her face in the crook of his neck, and nodded in response. She knew she was acting like a child, but being open about her feelings had never been her forte.

"Yes, I got emotional. Don't you dare laugh."

Niles did have to stifle a chuckle. "I wouldn't dare. I do understand your reluctance for accepting this bout of emotion, though... God preserve us from the world knowing that you are actually _human_."

C.C. laughed (although her laugh sounded more like a choked sob) and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I have a reputation to uphold here."

"Of course you do. Now tell me, what's troubling you?"

"Nothing," C.C. replied truthfully "It's just that I can't believe this is happening. After what happened, after the war... I never thought I'd find love again."

"Stranger things have happened, love," Niles wrapped one arm around her back, and trailed his free hand along her upper arm, thinking about the truth of his statement. He himself had once thought he would never find love at all, and yet here he was, in the embrace of the woman he once thought his enemy. "And we deserve the chance to be happy."

Shifting slightly, C.C. lay her cheek against his collarbone. Niles noticed that the last of her tears were still falling, but there was a small smile on her face. He angled his head more so he could see better, his own cheek resting against the top of her head.

"I do make you happy, don't I?" he suddenly felt the need to ask, hugging her tighter to him.

C.C. coughed out a soft laugh, and returned the hug. "Of course you do!" she knew that he could be insecure sometimes, but, considering what they had just been doing, he had no reason to be so at the moment. But if it would make him feel better, it couldn't hurt to open up a little, right? They were alone, after all. "I don't think I've ever been so happy, not even when..." she drifted off, suddenly aware of just how much she had let on, but Niles understood. He knew what she wanted to say, and she had been brave to try and attempt it. He rubbed her back slowly, hoping he was being comforting.

"I know," he turned towards her, and kissed her forehead. Maybe moving the conversation on would help matters. "You make me happy, too."


	12. Chapter 12

**_Marry me?_**

C.C.'s eye flickered open to the unlit room. The blinds were still closed, but thin streaks of sunlight trickled through the gaps. For a moment, the witch was barely aware of the strong arms holding her body close to another warm body – which happened to be her fiancé's. She loitered under the soft covers for a few moments before silently slipping out of Niles' embrace, trying not to wake him up just yet; he looked far too peaceful and content to potentially interrupt his slumber.

C.C. glanced at the clock – she had awoken earlier than usual, for it was only 8:30 am. It was uncommon for her to be up and about before Niles, but after the… active… night they had shared, it was no surprise he was still resting. The blonde glanced down at the beautiful piece of jewellery that now adorned her hand – although very simply, the ring was incredibly tasteful. The diamond solitaire was inset in a platinum band, so it clearly contrasted with her last engagement ring. Sirius' ring was a bit eccentric, to say the least, and – unlike Niles' – it was ostentatious. She liked the simplicity and elegance of her new ring, but what made it even more beautiful to her, was that it had been bestowed on her by the one man she loved like nobody else. The time when they had been enemies seemed so distant now, even if they had been at each other's throats up until a few months ago. But right then, she couldn't imagine life without Niles by her side.

She had been sceptical about finding love again after Sirius had been locked up, but life had a way of surprising her… She would have never expected to fall for her former enemy, much less when they had spent fifteen years around each other without even knowing the other possessed powers. C.C. remembered Sirius used to say life was to be lived to the fullest, because what today seemed certain, tomorrow could be gone. The producer grimaced at that last thought – back when she had just gotten out of school her marriage to Sirius was something she considered sure, yet there she was… Could she afford to lose precious time with Niles when a war was coming? Did she really want that?

The answer was obvious.

Her musings, however, were soon interrupted by the loud rumbling of her famished stomach. After all, the physical activity her body had been subjected to last night had taken its toll on her, and now her organism was demanding some much needed food. Well, every cloud has a silver lining, and her appetite had given her an excuse to do something nice for Niles. She tossed the duvet aside, and briefly dangled her legs over the edge of their bed before reaching out for Niles' robe and her slippers. She loved using his robe, it smelled like him... it smelled like home.

"Time to get moving," C.C. muttered to herself as she made her way to the kitchen, wand in hand. She had never made breakfast for the two of them before – usually it was the other way round –but after his proposal, breakfast in bed seemed like a nice gesture from her part. She wasn't about to cook the Muggle way, though, she knew better than that (and the memory of a certain disastrous cooking class discouraged from attempting doing so, too) so she simply gave a flourish of her wand and the meal instantly started preparing itself. Meanwhile, she got the coffee machine started, and filled the kettle with water – Niles liked his tea made the Muggle way, and she was in the mood to humour him. C.C. only prayed that the scent coming from the kitchen wouldn't wake Niles up just yet.

There was no such luck, however, for the enticing aroma eventually crept into the butler's nostrils, tempting his empty stomach and putting a halt to his slumber. His slow waking mind didn't register exactly what was going on at first, but soon enough – after he had fruitlessly reached out for C.C. – it discovered she was not there. Niles didn't exactly consider himself a light sleeper, but he figured he must have really been exhausted to miss C.C. getting out of bed before him.

He had to chuckle at that. The memory of their first night as an engaged couple surfacing in his mind. She probably was in the bathroom, he thought as he wrapped himself with the warm covers. She'd soon be back and they could-

Wait... What was that smell? It smelled like food being prepared... but how could it be? Surely C.C. was not... or was she?

He immediately sat up on their bed, blinking a few times to get rid of the bleariness in his eyes. The room was empty, and so was the bathroom – the open door and turned off lights told him so. From afar, he heard the muffled sizzling of bacon in a pan and the air was impregnated with the pleasant aroma of a freshly made breakfast. The moment he noticed his robe was gone, too, he was sure there was no other chance than C.C. being the one cooking breakfast in the kitchen – she always stole his robe when she awoke. Not that he didn't like the gesture, but it was almost risible. C.C. Babcock, cooking?

Now _that_ was hilarious.

Eager to prove his supposition correct, Niles jumped out of bed and ambled to the kitchen as he put his spare robe on. C.C. loved that robe on him, for – as it was a tad small for him – it forced the butler to keep it open, leaving his chest uncovered for her to see. The closer he got to his destination, the stronger the smell got, too; the aroma of coffee was mixed with the one of freshly made pancakes, bacon and eggs... God his stomach was already growling!

An amused smirk plastered itself to his face when he spotted his fiancée in the kitchen. He had been partially right – she was indeed cooking, although (and much to his relief) she was using magic instead of doing it the Muggle way. Pans and dirty utensils were moving by themselves, some preparing what would most likely be their breakfast, and some others floating to the dishwasher; C.C. had her back turned to him, which made it possible for him to sneak up to her and wrap his arms around her middle, eliciting a surprised gasp from his wife-to-be.

"Who are you and what have you done with C.C. Babcock?" he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"Good morning to you, too," she retorted, "And I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh really? My Babcock wouldn't move a finger to cook a meal," he gestured at the two plates laden with delicious-looking aliments and the two steaming mugs laying side by side on the kitchen counter. "Much less to create such an elaborate breakfast."

"Can't I just do something nice? Like a normal human being?" she said in feigned annoyance.

He spun her around and gave her an unimpressed stare. "Do I really need to answer that? I don't know what's more ridiculous; the fact that you believe yourself capable of doing uninterested nice gestures for other people, or that you consider yourself human."

"Tut-tut, Hazel, put a lid on the zingers or there won't be any food for you," the producer pointed a warning finger at Niles, using her wand to set the table – seeing as he was already out of bed, there was no sense in having breakfast there anymore!

"And who said I was planning to eat it?" he teased, quickly showing her he intended to dig in as soon as possible by taking a sip of his tea. "For all I know it could be poisoned."

"Oh, come on, Hazel! Where's the fun in getting rid of you now? I mean, I am partial about living with creatures with subpar intelligent, but..." she snuggled closer to him and lightly grazed her nails against his bare chest. Niles had to use all his self-control not to growl. "Keeping you around certainly has its advantages."

"I knew it, you only want me for my body!" Niles began trailing kisses along her jawline and down her soft, long throat. "I feel used..." he purred, as his hands skimmed her hips, teasing her.

"And you love it, don't you?" the witch retorted, her own hands beginning a less-than-shy exploration of Niles' body. If he wanted to play that game, then so be it.

"You know I do, Babcock," It was not uncommon for the couple to engage in little teasing sessions, it was one of their favourite activities – and when they did it during the most inappropriate moments, it was even more enthralling. Both Niles and C.C. had a penchant for playing with fire, and neither of them could think of a better way to start the morning. "And I am in the mood to be bossed around by a certain blonde crone."

"That certainly sounds good... "C.C. chuckled, playfully nipping at his neck. Niles' hands soon travelled to her bosom, their objective being the buttons that separated him from her warm skin. "And the first thing I want us to do is..." the blonde purred as he brought her closer, crashing his lips against hers. He couldn't help it, this woman drove him absolutely wild – in more ways than one. Not wanting to delay the skin-to-skin touch any longer, Niles unbuttoned the first button of her top, then the second, and then...

The witch pulled away, swiftly slipped out of his reach and took her seat on the table, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Is us to have breakfast! You know I can't engage in any _activities_ before I eat," the witch declared, thoroughly enjoying the disappointment written in his eyes and the irritated grimace etched across his features.

"You are wicked," he grumbled, taking his own seat before her. Although their snogging session hadn't gotten out of hand, his body had clearly reacted to his future wife's capable hands.

"I'll take that as a compliment, lover. Now, will you be so kind to try the meal I graciously prepared before it gets as cold as my heart?" C.C. said as both she and Niles helped themselves to a serving of the waffles she had prepared.

"Since when do you steal my lines?" he asked, cocking an amused eyebrow at her. "Insulting you is usually my job," he paused and gesticulated with one hand at the food before him. "And so is preparing breakfast."

She shrugged. "Oh, I don't know... I told you, I felt like doing something nice. Don't worry, this side of my personality won't be seen again any time soon."

"That's reassuring, thank you very much. You being nice is oddly unsettling, like seeing a turtle out of its shell," the couple shared a laugh. "And, I must admit these are really good," Niles pointed at his half-eaten waffles with his fork. He seemed to have a second thought, for he silently looked between his breakfast and fiancée and then arched a questioning eyebrow. "Why do I feel you are planning on asking something from me?"

Well, this was it, she thought. She had ruminated on the idea since she had gotten out of bed, and after weighing out all the pros and cons of her solicitation, the producer had decided to voice it. Her idea might sound rushed and even somewhat daft under normal circumstances, but their circumstances were anything but normal. With a war coming, time was something they didn't have.

Taking a deep breath, C.C. put the cutlery down and stared into the butler's eyes. Although still keeping an unamused façade, she could read the growing worry in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking; most probably thoughts like her having second thoughts about the engagement, or her having something grave to confess were already crossing his mind, but in truth what she had to confess was quite simple.

"Marry me?" she finally replied, nervously tapping her fingers against the table.

After the expectable initial surprise had crossed Niles' eyes, the middle aged butler released a throaty chuckle – which soon died down when he noticed the glare C.C. was giving him. It was then when the notion that the producer was actually serious occurred to him. But why? Why would she want to elope? Although C.C. was a witch, she was still a creature of her own social class, and if someone like C.C. Babcock was getting married, having a posh ceremony was the rule. A rushed wedding wasn't like her at all! But could he say no? After all, he had been the one to propose, and it would be a tad ridiculous to turn her down when she was actually rushing to become his wife.

"Not that I don't want to, but why?" Niles asked, his brow scrunched in a furrow. "I mean, why rush it? Don't you want a big wedding?"

"Of course I do!" she said little harsher than originally intended – she was still a little ticked off about him laughing at her (for the lack of a better word) proposal. "I still want the big wedding ceremony, but I was thinking about going down to the Manhattan Marriage Bureau and getting a civic ceremony. You know, just for us..."

He sensed (and was right) that C.C. wasn't being completely honest with him. Niles had realised so when she had looked away – she only did so when she wanted to hide something from him. Heaving a sigh, the butler rose from his seat and walked to his fiancée. "Babcock, you are not being completely honest with me," he stated matter-of-factly, kneeling by her side. "Why do you want to get married now?"

Well, that was it. She didn't really have a choice... If she wanted him to acquiesce her wish, she'd have to give him the truth. Even though C.C. had opened up considerably, and now actually allowed someone to be there for her, she still had a hard time voicing her emotions. She had too many years of habit on her shoulders. But wasn't she trying to start again with Niles? Yes, she could lie, make him believe that she just wanted to get it over and done with, but there was a part of her that knew she owed him the truth – the complete truth. It was just that she didn't exactly like talking about anything that had to do with her past, and telling him the truth would entail doing so.

But it was no time to chicken out. If she wanted this, then she'd have to talk.

Finally looking at him in the eye, C.C. heaved a sigh and clasped their hands together, wordlessly asking for moral support in order to have this conversation. "Niles," she began softly, "I was engaged for over ten years, and it ended in disaster. Now, with a war coming, I can't help but fear the same will happen again. Not to get me wrong, I want both a religious and a magical ceremony, but we'd already be legally man and wife... So if..." the producer gulped, trying to keep her voice steady. Niles hand around hers certainty helped to make the whole conversation a bit easier, but it was not nearly enough. "If something happens to either of us, we'd have been able to truly be husband and wife, even if it was for a short time. And, if anything happens to me-"

"C.C., please, don't even-" the butler tried to say only to be silenced by her finger on his lips. He looked up at her and saw the almost pleading look in her eyes; she needed to say this, and he had promised to be there no matter what. In this case, to honour his promise he had to allow her to speak her mind and offer his support as she did so.

"Please, Niles, if anything happens to me I want you to be well off, too. If anything happens to me I want you to, at least, lead a life without having to work for a living. So, will you please do it? For me?"

In all honesty, Niles had never even considered the prospect of getting a civil marriage. What about all their friends? Would it be like they were deceiving them, if they had the ceremonies when they were already married? Apart from Max and Fran, who did they tell about this? Well, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, obviously, but who else? But even as he was staring at her, trying to process everything going on in his head, she was staring straight back, a hopeful look in her eyes. And the longer he looked, the less the questions he had mattered. He understood her reasons perfectly – she had been through a long engagement, which had ended in heartbreak. She didn't want the same thing to happen to them, and neither did he. However, Niles grimaced at the sole idea of something happening to her. If that dreadful possibility became a reality, money would mean absolutely nothing.

The butler knew there no sense in saying that nothing would happen to them when it was obvious it could – that lie wouldn't reassure C.C.. As she had so eloquently said, if there was a war, leaving things the way they were for a long period of time could spell trouble...

So, what could it hurt? He wanted to marry her and be married to her, after all. What did it matter if this was a little sooner than he originally thought?

He gathered the slender blonde into his arms and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Alright, we'll do it. And we could even visit your father afterwards, you know, to tell him the news."

It took a second for the blonde witch to process his answer, but the moment his words settled in her mind, C.C.'s eyes gleamed with an unparalleled happiness. It was as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, as though he had just helped her get over a deep fear.

And, truth to be told, he had.

She was afraid of something happening to either of them when they were so blissfully happy; she was afraid of their story ending before it could begin, like what had happened to her and Sirius. C.C. traced his face with her fingers, relishing on the feeling of his incipient beard against her fingertips. She focused in his oh-so-blue eyes; those eyes had been in her life for so long now... and she had never seen them filled with so much love.

He was the one. He always had been.

"I love you," she muttered, wrapping her arms around him. It was unusual for her to use the L-word – she usually reserved it for especially tender moments, or (which was a much more common occurrence) for when they made love – but the situation merited it. "And I think we should pay my father a visit.

"And I love you, too," he replied, helping her to her feet. The initial shock of her proposal had prevented him from actually enjoying the fact that, in just a couple of hours, the woman of his dreams would become his wife, but now – as they embraced like there wasn't a care in the world – the thrill of what was to come was slowly getting to him. He had known Babcock for fifteen years, been her nemesis for fourteen and loved her since the very first day she had stepped a foot inside the mansion.

Well, perhaps not since their first encounter – which, as he recalled, had been quite an unpleasant one – but it was safe to say he'd harboured feelings for her for over ten years now. If he was being truthful, there had been a time when he had truly detested her, but as they began engaging in verbal fights, hate faded away and was soon replaced by fondness – which had been safely hidden under layers of pretended animosity. Back when they weren't a couple, Niles had a fascination for provoking the producer's wrath – there was something oddly delightful about seeing the glint of competitiveness in the woman's eyes. C.C. was not one to allow others to belittle or insult her without consequences – she fought back.

That's probably what had made her so irresistibly attractive to him. He had been used to dealing with Sarah and Maxwell, two - although kind hearted- obtuse people. Working for the Sheffields had been painfully boring until C.C. had made her appearance. Routine had suffocated him, the lack of magical people around him was upsetting and having to do such a menial job with his qualifications felt like a slap in the face. He had thought about going back to Wizarding Britain a couple of times, but the fact his family needed financial support and – after the children were born – the bonds he had created with the Sheffields, had convinced him to stay.

Thank God he had... If not, he would have never met C.C..

Speaking of his fiancée, Niles had gotten so immersed in his musings that he hadn't heard her talking to him. He was only brought back when the woman clicked her fingers before his eyes as she called his name.

"Earth to Niles, are you there Niles?" the producer asked, "You were completely out of it, lover."

"Sorry, my mind wandered," he muttered, the edge of his mouth curving in an apologetic half-smile.

"Aw, don't worry, I heard it's a common occurrence once you reach a certain age," C.C. teased, getting out of his embrace in order to clean up the kitchen.

"Well, you would know," he retorted, "Seeing as you were taught by Merlin himself must mean you are a considerable age."

She had walked straight into it, C.C. knew it, but she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of walking out victorious from their verbal exchange. Although she didn't come up with a witty retort – she was far too excited due to her wedding to think straight – she did have a plan B. "You know, Colonel Blimp," C.C. dropped the plate she was carrying in the sink and turned for the door. "You'd be so much likeable if it wasn't for that hole in your mouth that noise comes out of. So, while you clean this up, I'll go get dressed."

"Alright, Cruella," he called out, using his wand to clear up the remains of their breakfast. "Try not to look as hideous as usual!"

The answer he received was her slamming the door of their room shut, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the many dirty dishes. He couldn't help but beam as he tidied up the kitchen; she had left for _their_ room in _their_ penthouse…

It had been months since Niles had spent the night at the mansion. They had never discussed him "officially" moving in, but – seeing as all his possessions had already been moved to her apartment – it was implicit that he had. C.C. had given him a key ages ago, and they had made it a habit of Disapparating back to the penthouse together once their work day was over. Although he had practically seen Babcock every single day for the past fifteen years of his life, moving in with her had given him a whole new perspective of a person he had previously considered extremely private. He had not only seen her in various stages of undress, but he had also learnt that she liked to curl up in the sofa with a book in the evening, that she usually spent her Sundays in her pyjamas, that – although she had a wonderful office with a magnanimous view – she liked to work in her living room… Living together had allowed him to get to know aspects of C.C.'s personality that he hadn't seen before, and also it had allowed them to form their very own new habits. For example, Mondays had turned into movie night, so C.C. would always rent a movie and they'd watch it together before going to bed, comfortably seated on her couch and with a large bowl of popcorn balanced between their laps.

Of course they still had to find time in their routines to train and attend Order meetings; although things in Wizarding Britain were still under control, they knew the peace wouldn't last for long. Moody had also increased his training sessions, so Niles and C.C. had had to ask Maxwell for some days off. For the butler it wasn't really a problem, but Sheffield-Babcock productions was certainly suffering her absence – with C.C. being focused in the upcoming war, Maxwell was mostly by himself. Their boss understood, though, after having seen for himself the destruction Death Eaters were capable of, he didn't feel it was right to complain about both of his employees preparing for the war.

In short, Niles and C.C. had successfully balanced their new life together with their responsibilities with the Order. Seeing as a big magical celebration wasn't exactly possible, Dumbledore had kindly offered them Hogwarts as the venue of their wedding. In that way everyone would be able to attend, and it was a way of ensuring that the ceremony would be held without any mishaps or unwanted interruptions by, say, Death Eaters. The Order members knew that they were being watched, and a wedding was a perfect occasion for their enemies to attack.

Once he was done cleaning the kitchen, Niles walked to the living room and plopped himself down on the sofa. He could hear the sound of the shower running coming from the bedroom, and he momentarily thought about joining in. The idea was quickly discarded, though, for he knew from experience that they would never make it to the Marriage Bureau if he did so. Instead, he used his wand to summon the remote, and turned on the TV. He wasn't really interested in watching any programme, but the droning noise was pleasantly lulling, and he soon dozed off.

He stayed in that semi-conscious state for what felt like five minutes, but was really an hour. He hadn't heard the water being turned off, nor the eventual noise of the bedroom door being opened. What did wake him up, however, was the familiar sound of heels clicking against the stone floor.

"Alright, Butler Boy, here is your beautiful bride," she chirped as she breezed into the living room.

He scoffed, stretching his arms as he slowly turned around. "Babcock, the word 'beautiful' could never be used to descri-"

The moment Niles faced the blonde witch, his jaw almost fell. She looked beautiful! No, scratch that, she looked stunning. It probably had to do with the fact they were getting married, but Niles was almost certain she had never looked this gorgeous before; C.C. had chosen to use a white ruffled silk blouse with a matching blazer on top, a black knee-length pencil skirt (which, to Niles delight, accentuated her curves) and white stilettos. Her hair was fixed in an immaculate French pleat, and she had put on a soft, natural, bridal make up.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and her elegant choice of clothes only helped enhance her natural beauty. Of course he thought she looked good in everything (as well as in nothing at all), but this particular outfit fitted her just perfectly. But the best thing about it was that she looked like that because she was getting married to him.

C.C. Babcock, the Bitch of Broadway, powerful witch and businesswoman, had chosen to look breathtakingly stunning for him – or better said, she had chosen to look like that for _them_.

"Cat got your tongue, Butler Boy?" she asked, her lips stretching into a knowing smile.

Niles tried to display an unimpressed look, but he couldn't, he was far too distracted by the sight in front of him to do so. He was trying to burn that image to his memory – he wanted to remember everything. He wanted to remember the way she was dressed, the way her golden hair shone against the morning sun, the way her eyes glinted with excitement and, most of all, he wanted to remember her smile. C.C. wasn't a woman who smiled often – or better said, she wasn't a woman who often smiled truthfully. He had seen her faking smiles when she had to schmooze backers, or wearing a polite smile on social gatherings, but her true smile was usually reserved just for him. She had a way of smiling that made him feel happy; her smile was soft, warm and mysterious – just like she was.

"Sorry," he eventually said as he rose to his feet, eager to hold her in his arms. "I was shocked by how easily you can cover your hag-like appearance. You look almost good wearing that choice of clothing."

She tried to glare at him, but she simply couldn't – the producer knew he didn't mean a word of what he'd just said. In any case, his eyes told her the truth; he had the same look than when he had first seen her naked, although now she could also detect a new emotion being displayed in his clear blue eyes – love. Not to get her wrong, he had looked at her lovingly on many an occasion, but this time… this time it was truly special.

"That's rich coming from you," she retorted as Niles curled an arm around her waist. "Are you planning on getting married in your pyjamas?"

"Not really, Babcock. But as you basically monopolised our room, I didn't have the chance to change or even get a shower," he planted a kiss on the top of her head before turning for the bedroom. "So, if you will excuse me, I'll go get ready now."

"You better wear your fancy pants!" the blonde called out just before Niles walked into their room.

"You bet I will, Brunette."

* * *

C.C. had always believed she'd feel extremely nervous the day of her wedding. She had pictured herself wearing a wonderful white dress, pacing around behind the closed doors of the church, anxiously awaiting for the moment the doors would be opened so she could march into the church at the sound of the bridal march. That image, of course, had turned out to be miles away from the truth. Not only she was feeling oddly relaxed, but she also wasn't wearing a dress nor she was in a church. She was standing before the entrance to one of the chapels of the Manhattan Marriage Bureau, holding her future husband's hand in one of her own, and a marriage licence in the other. Technically, marriage licenses were issued in a period of 24 hours, but if your last name was Babcock, that timespan could be reduced to, say, 45 minutes. They had also made a stop at Tiffany's before heading to the Marriage Bureau so as to get a nice set of wedding bands. Needless to say, they had argued for almost half an hour before deciding on buying a simple white gold set of rings, which Niles insisted on paying for. The store clerk had offered them the possibility to get them engraved, but knowing it would only delay them (and also considering they could simply use magic to do it) they politely declined the offer, and continued their way.

Niles and C.C. had chosen to have the small ceremony performed in the west chapel, and now only a few steps separated them from the place in which they'd officially become man and wife. If a year ago someone had told her she'd be eloping with the butler, C.C. would have not only laughed in their face, but she would have also suggested that person to get professional help. And yet there she was… minutes away from getting married in a simple ceremony and feeling impossibly happy about it.

"Ready to become Mrs Brightmore?" Niles asked, giving a reassuring squeeze to her hand. He could feel his body tingling with excitement, and he had the unexplainable urge to stamp a kiss on C.C.'s lips every minute or so. They weren't what one would call a mushy couple, but he couldn't help it, even he wasn't safe of the childish giddiness every groom experienced just before marrying their bride.

"I'm more than ready, Mr. Brightmore," she replied, brushing her cheek against his affectionately. "You think you're up to handling me as a wife?"

"There's only one way to find out, Babs," he pulled away from her, beaming, and gently tugged on her hand as he began to walk towards the entrance. The pair of them starting heading up the steps, each stealing glances at the other. C.C.'s hand slipped from Niles' in order for her arm to loop through his. At that moment, everything suddenly became more real, and they paused for a brief period of time at the top of the steps, in order to exchange loving smiles. They were getting married! Both Niles and C.C.'s hearts were soaring, and beating out of their chests, and bursting with pride all at once.

Neither producer nor butler could quite describe the sensation, but the smiles becoming matching grins told each other just how happy they were. But they knew there was no sense in delaying what they were about to do. They had probably been stood there, staring and sharing in the excitement of their decision, for far longer than really necessary. All it achieved was to delay their marriage, and that wasn't what this day was about. They turned to look at the entrance the chapel, then each other, and then at the west chapel again.

Taking one last deep breath to calm themselves in preparation, the couple nodded and stepped into the chapel.

As soon as they were inside, time seemed to fly for the couple. As, by law, a witness was needed, they asked another couple who – just like them – was there to be married, to act as their witnesses, to which they had accepted. Neither of them could really tell exactly how the ceremony had been performed or what were the words said by the wedding officiant after they had presented their identification and marriage licence. The only moment that would forever be engraved in their memories was when they were declared man and wife. Niles had to keep a firm grip of C.C.'s trembling had in order to put her ring on – which was a challenge in itself considering his hands were trembling just like hers. Time seemed to slow down almost to a halt the moment the ring was finally settled on her finger.

It was real. They were married. Right then they couldn't care less about everything they had gone through, and even about the war that was looming over them; right then they were blissfully married.

Overcome with a powerful emotion he couldn't even begin to describe, Niles looked up at his wife – dear God, _his wife_ – and kissed with all the passion he could gather. "I love you, C.C.."

"And I love you, Niles," she replied, pulling him in for another kiss. The second time their lips touched, the world around them ceased to exist as they held each other close, never wanting to let go. It had taken them so long to find each other… and there they were, finally beginning their life together.

"Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Brightmore," the wedding officiant said, interrupting their kiss. "I wish you two all the luck."

The couple smiled at the short man before he gave a slight bow, and quickly left the room in search of the next couple that was to be married. C.C. and Niles didn't move though, they could only stare into the eyes of the other as the weight of the recent developments sunk in. "We are married," she whispered as she rested her head against his chest.

"I know..." Niles felt almost breathless with exhilaration, and he put his arms around her, hands resting in the small of her back. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, and the newlyweds stood like that for what felt like a long time, until they were asked to leave the room because the next couple due to get married were coming in. C.C. would have put up a fight about that on any other day, but she was in too good a mood to really begrudge anybody the chance to feel happy.

They left the west chapel elated, not even thinking about the fact that none of their friends knew they were married, or that none of the traditional wedding stuff had taken place. They descended the steps of the building, not followed by cheering loved ones or being showered in confetti, but even if they had thought about those possibilities, they wouldn't have cared just then. They were happier than they had ever been, and they would be sharing that happiness with their friends and family soon enough. For now, it was private. When they were back at the bottom of the steps to the building, Niles turned to his wife – he would never tire of calling her that – and asked, "Were you thinking of us going to see your father immediately, or would you rather we waited a day or two?"

C.C. pondered over his question for a second, still feeling slightly dazed by the fact that she was a married woman now. She hugged her husband's middle and pecked his lips. "I'd rather go now. My father doesn't even know about our engagement, so I think we should put him up to date."

Niles chuckled, "Do you think he'll welcome me into your family considering we didn't even sign a pre-nuptial agreement?"

"Of course he will! My mother, on the other hand, probably won't," the producer grimaced. She had never been close to her mother, probably because B.B. had never accepted her nature; B.B. had disliked Sirius since the first moment she saw him, and C.C. was almost certain the same would happen to Niles – although knowing her mother and considering Niles was her husband and not a school boyfriend, dislike could easily turn into loathing.

"So I presume we won't be telling her about our nuptials any time soon, then?" her husband asked, loosely lacing their ringed hands together.

"Precisely. But I do want my father to know. You see, I've been thinking about what you said the day we started your training, and I do think I have to try and make things better with my father. With the war coming, I don't know how much time we have left before we have to leave, and if..." she tightened her grip on his hand and placed her head over his chest, his heartbeat soothing her with its even pace. "If something happens, I want to be at peace with my family and to have made clear you are part of it now."

Niles sighed, letting her hand go in order to envelop her in a hug. Even if she had opened up to him, C.C. hadn't told him exactly what had caused the rift between her and her father. From what his wife had told him, she and Stewart had been extremely close when she was young – after all, his father had been the one who had encouraged her to go to Hogwarts and was extremely proud of having a witch in the family – but they had had a disagreement shortly after his visit to the Sheffield mansion and they hadn't spoken to each other ever since. Not that Stewart hadn't tried, really, but as C.C. had never answered his calls and had refused to talk about the subject, he had eventually stopped trying; he hadn't wanted to force his child to talk to him if she didn't want to, even if it that had been an extremely painful decision to make. "C.C., what happened between you two?"

C.C. heaved a sigh, revelling in the soothing touch of her husband. It was so easy for her to talk when he held her like that… she felt safe. "We fought because of many things. When I came back to America during the first war my father demanded that I got away from the magical world while I recovered. He was right, I had almost died and the last thing I needed was to get worked up due to things that were beyond my control. I followed his advice up until Sirius escaped from Azkaban. Needless to say, my father didn't want me to get involved in the war again, which led to us having a terrible fight. We had grown apart ever since I returned from Britain – I pushed everyone away, and my father wasn't the exception. I never allowed him to comfort me when I was grieving Lily, James and Sirius, and the night of our fight he said…" her voice faltered for a moment. This was the reason why she hadn't wanted to see her father, the reason behind her horrible mood the time Stewart had visited the Sheffield mansion. "He said that I didn't care about him, my siblings or my mother. That I only cared about a pointless war in which I shouldn't take part, and that if my decision was to fight, then he no longer wanted to see me. Not when I was risking my life."

C.C. remembered Stewart had realised what he had said only after the words had left his mouth. Her father had tried to apologise immediately, but – considering what she was going through – she hadn't wanted to hear his apology. If that was what he wanted, then she'd made sure he never saw her again. She had known Stewart hadn't truly meant what he had said – besides, his subsequent calls and attempts to visit her were more than enough evidence to prove so – but she had been far too angry to try and talk things out. Almost four years had gone by since their fight, and now that she was starting anew with Niles, she had a chance to make things right. Her husband would support her through this visit, and if needed, he'd help her make Stewart understand why they had to fight.

"I understand," Niles tucked two fingers under her chin and lifted it, so that she would look him in the eyes. "But just remember; you're not alone in this. We'll get through it, together."

C.C. reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, stroking the skin with her thumb, "You really mean it, don't you?"

"Of course I mean it!" Niles lifted up his ring hand, letting her see the band, "For better or worse, remember? I mean, we only got married about ten minutes ago, Babs; your old age forgetfulness couldn't have settled in that quickly."

C.C. feigned an unamused look, "You can't call me 'Babs' anymore, you know. Babcock's not my last name now."

"Can't I keep it?" Niles asked with a grin. "I think it's cute."

"Mm...alright, I suppose," his wife's arms travelled up and around his neck. "But you've got to put a lid on the old age jokes instead."

"Oh, well, now you've put me in a difficult position," the butler teased. "I might need to think about it."

C.C. rolled her eyes. Yes, she loved him, but he was still the same obnoxious butler she had fallen in love with. "Okay, Hazel. How about we go and see my father, and then you get back to me?"

"Sounds like a good plan. But just for you to know, now that we are married, I will be a constant pain in your ass," Niles retorted, as they pulled away.

"And since when you haven't been a royal pain in my ass?" the producer scoffed, tugging at his arm. "You know, I am almost certain you married me because I am that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."

"I am glad we are on the same page," he said, the edge of his mouth curving into his usual lopsided grin.

After the pair had curled one arm around each other's middle, they began their journey to the Babcock residence. Seeing as they were in the middle of the street and that it was a lovely autumn day, the newlyweds chose to walk for a while before risking Apparating away. Muggles could be thoughtless and unobservant, but them Disapparating right in front of the Marriage Bureau wasn't the best plan.

As they walked through the Big Apple, Niles reminisced about the events that had led to this wonderful day. Back when they weren't a couple, he had imagined their life together multiple times, but not even in his wildest dreams he'd have thought that his fantasy would become a reality. A year ago he was fearing spending his life alone, and now he had the most wonderful woman by his side.

"Are you listening to me?" her annoyed voice abruptly brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hm? Sorry, my mind wandered. What were you saying?"

"Oh, don't worry, old age brings this kind of nuisances with it," his wife smirked at him, no doubt getting back at him for the joke he had made earlier that morning.

"Takes one to know one Ba... I mean, Brightmore," he couldn't hide his smile as he spoke, he was far too elated to do so. He could feign annoyance later.

"Touché," she chuckled, "What I was saying was that we should start looking for a house soon. I saw a nice mansion on sale a few blocks away from the Sheffield's."

Niles' brows scrunches in a furrow "A house? Why do you want to move?"

"Well, it seems like the next logical step!" she retorted, as though the answer were obvious. "When I bought that penthouse I didn't consider I'd be living with another person. Not to mention that I want us to have a place that we can call ours, one in which we build together from scratch," she looked up at him, giving him a moment to think over her reasons. She had never meant to spend her life in that penthouse. Back when she had first moved there, she had considered it was just a temporary accommodation until she could return to Britain. Now that she had, in a way, moved on with Niles, she also wanted to leave her old home behind. She chose not to voice this reason, though. In turn she chose to mention another valid reason for moving. "And, if we ever have children, the penthouse won't have enough space to fit us all."

C.C. awaited for his response, which didn't come. She glanced at him, a slightly worried look on her features. Had she said something wrong? Perhaps... he didn't want kids? They had never discussed the subject, but she had always assumed Niles wanted kids – he seemed like a family type of person. She wanted kids, too, although they were necessary a priority in her list. If Niles didn't want children, then it was fine by her, but she hadn't wanted to upset him; they had just gotten married half an hour ago, after all.

"Niles, did I upset you?" she asked, putting a halt to their walk. The producer tried to read into her husband's eyes, but she wasn't able to determine what he was feeling. He didn't look upset, though, if anything he seemed pensive. "I am sorry I just thought that you-"

Niles interrupted her by squeezing her hand, wordlessly telling her that that was not the reason behind his delayed response. His mind was going a million miles per hour, and he was being invaded by a feeling that could only be described as pure unadulterated love. Of course he wanted children, he always had, but he had thought his time to be a father had gone past. That's why he had settled for being a pseudo uncle for the Sheffield three, he had thought that was the best it was going to get. But now – after hearing her mention the possibility of having children together – he had realised that he still had the chance to form his own family... and the feeling overwhelmed him.

"Are you sure you're okay?" C.C. still appeared concerned. He'd made some motion to suggest he was alright, but his lack of a verbal response was slightly unnerving.

Her husband began to nod, eventually finding his voice, "...Y-yes, I'm fine. I...actually couldn't be better."

The producer's smile slowly came back, "So...you're okay with...everything?"

Niles's faint smile grew wider and he let out a laugh, suddenly animated, and hugged his wife, "I am more than okay with everything. Perhaps just a little overwhelmed – in a good way, I mean."

C.C. returned the embrace, chuckling softly. "Well, then we should be going, Hazel," she reminded him. "We can keep talking about this on the way, if you want?"

"Lead the way, witch," he gestured ahead with his hand, and the pair resumed their walk to Stewart's place. He had positioned his arm around her shoulders, and C.C. had hers wrapped around his middle. If one didn't know them, it would appear as though the couple had been together for tears, and not just months. Of course if one looked really closely at their relationship over the years, one could easily say they had been orbiting each other since the day she had stepped into the mansion for the first time.

"So, how about we make an appointment to visit the house I saw sometime during the next weeks? We must make sure it has a spacious office for either of us," C.C. said, while tucking a loose lock behind her ear. "And seeing as you are a housewife, by spacious office I mean a spacious kitchen."

"So if I am a housewife, then does that mean you occupy the role of the husband? I always knew you were the most masculine in this relationship," Niles retorted, a cheeky smile on his lips.

"Do I need to remind you how much of a woman I am?" she asked in a low, sensuous voice.

Niles quirked a surprised eyebrow, suddenly feeling considerably hotter than before. The blonde witch smiled at the reaction her words had produced. Seeing the desire in his eyes and having that much power over him was definitely one of the best aspects about their relationship.

"Oh, but I plan on having my way with you tonight," he let out in an equally low pitched voice.

"We'll see who is in charge, don't be so confident."

"But that's obvious! You are always in charge. I just want to show you how much I love being your dog."

"Hmm you certainly know how to talk to a woman," she purred.

"Only to you, Babcock, only to you," Niles said moments before they ventured into an alley and Apparated away to Stewart's mansion. They landed a few feet away from the main entrance, and as soon as C.C.'s eyes spotted her childhood home, her attitude shifted. It was as though she was afraid, as though being near that house was too much for her to bear.

Of course Niles instantly noticed her change in attitude, and frowned. His grip on her shoulders became tighter for a second. "Are you sure you still want to do this?"

C.C. stared straight ahead, the familiar front door of her childhood home coming closer as they walked up the path, stopping a little way away from the house. The producer took in a slow, deep breath, and then quickly let it out again. "Yes," she told him. She had to do this. There wasn't time to think it over; the war could take them away for a long time, or – as she dreaded to think – even permanently. She didn't want to leave things with her family as they had been for so long, especially not if those words might be the last words she'd ever get to say to them. Besides, what kind of a daughter would she be, if she didn't tell at least her father that she had gotten married? That made her freeze again, her mind thinking everything over. How would her father react to being told his daughter had gotten married? Of course, they had planned to invite him to the religious ceremony, as well as the rest of the Babcock family, but would he be hurt by the fact that they had chosen to go off and get married in secret first? He wouldn't be angry, that was for sure. That would be her mother's department. She'd be angry over that, as well as the fact that she had chosen to marry Maxwell Sheffield's butler over Maxwell Sheffield himself, so perhaps Stewart being disappointed for not seeing her officially married wouldn't be such a bad reaction. And he had seemed amicable enough with Niles the last time he had come around. The two men would probably get along, when they got to know each other better. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. There was a chance that she was just overreacting, and that her father would actually be delighted by the news. She was brought out of her reverie by her husband calling her name.

"Huh?" she blinked at him, having not heard a word he'd said.

"I asked if you would like to ring the doorbell, or if you want me to do it."

"Oh! Uh..." C.C. looked at the door, straightening up and taking on an air of confidence, even though inside, her anxiety levels were through the roof.

"I'll do it." That was the only way to deal with her fear; face it head-on. Letting go of Niles' hand, she approached the door, and pressed the bell. Her husband came to her side, and the couple stared at the heavy wooden door, waiting.

After only a couple of minutes (which to C.C. felt like hours), the door was answered by the Babcock's butler, Edward. The elderly man seemed surprised to find her standing there, and for a second, his features gave away his surprise – although he quickly put on an impassive expression, and curtly allowed his old mistress inside the house.

"Ah Miss Babcock, what a surprise!" Edward said, taking both her and Niles' coats.

"It's been quite some time Edward, and it's not Miss Babcock anymore. From now on you will address me as Mrs Brightmore," The blonde producer announced, sharing a smile with her husband.

The butler again seemed to be shocked, however this time he didn't mask his emotion, and in turn he allowed a small smile to form on his lips. He remembered little Chastity, and how he had taken care of her. Edward was the only servant who knew about her powers, and in consequence, he also knew about her former fiancé. It pleased him to know she had found happiness once again, and the bloke by her side seemed decent. "Then congratulations are in order. I presume your father doesn't know about this, am I correct?"

C.C. nodded in response, grimacing slightly.

"He is at the studio now. He has been in a good mood today, so you have nothing to worry about, Mrs Brightmore," the old butler informed her. C.C. thanked her old employee and marched alongside Niles in the direction of her father's studio. "Oh, Mrs Brightmore?" the butler called out, just before they turned to the corridor that led to Stewart's office. "I must warn you, your mother is in the studio, too. She's come to talk about business with your father."

 _Oh, bloody hell._

 _Bloody, damned hell._

* * *

 **AN: Hey there! So here goes another :) Hope you like it! We'd truly like some reviews, feeback gives us the clue if you are interested or not!**

 **H &L**


	13. Confrontations

**_Chapter 13_**

 ** _Confrontations_**

If there was something that couldn't be said about C.C. Brightmore, was that she had led an uneventful life. The slender producer had not only tricked death a respectable amount of times, but she had also faced Voldemort himself, and had both lived to tell the tale and managed to make the Dark Lord want her dead before she had even reached her twenties. But even if she was a woman who had always kept a stiff upper lip even in the worst situations, and who had experienced the horrors of a war, nothing unnerved her more than a confrontation with Beatrice Barbara Babcock.

For being a Muggle, B.B. was a deadly woman – one who took pleasure in crushing anyone who dared to step in her way. Of course C.C. had inherited her mother's ruthless demeanour when it came to crushing opponents but, unlike C.C., B.B. was not only ornery but she was also downright cruel. Yes, the producer could be vicious at times, too, but her spite had never been directed towards her loved ones. B.B.'s, on the other hand, knew no boundaries, and the elder socialite didn't care for anyone but herself. As a matter of fact, one of her favourite hobbies was belittling people she considered inferior to her – AKA, the rest of the human race.

Since a young age Noel, D.D. and C.C. had chosen to distance themselves from their mother, much to her annoyance. During their childhood they had lived mostly with their father, and seeing their mother was a rare (and usually unpleasant) event. From the three siblings, Noel was the only one who had a 'good' relationship with B.B., but not even the college professor tolerated being in the same room as his mother for more than an hour. The woman was a viper; she had a talent for detecting a person's greatest insecurity which she then proceeded to attack, her weapon of choice being her sharp tongue.

Yes, B.B. Babcock may be a simple Muggle, but she could easy give Voldemort a run for his money.

C.C. had come to the mansion expecting to face only one of her parents – something that was more than enough to make her impossibly nervous in itself – but, in turn, she was now going to face both her father and the She Devil herself. The blonde producer could hear the muffled sound of her mother's cold voice as they approached Stewart's office; it was as bossy and demanding as it had always been, and C.C. shuddered to think that, in mere minutes, B.B.'s wrath would most probably be directed at her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Niles asked softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. He had noticed the faint shaking of her body and the butler was almost certain his new wife looked considerably paler that a few minutes ago. "If you feel like it's too much, we can go."

The producer turned to her husband, shaking her head. As much as she'd like to get the hell out of there, she was determined to carry through with this visit. She was an adult, and she shouldn't allow a simple conversation with her parents paralyse her in fear.

"No, I am ready to face them. Besides, with you by my side, what could happen? Let's face the music, shall we?"

"Alright then," the butler said, covering the doorknob with his hand. "In we go."

And so, after taking in a gulp of air, she nodded at her husband, who carefully opened the tall mahogany door.

Stewart's office had changed little over the years. It was considerably bigger than Maxwell's, and the view was breathtakingly gorgeous. C.C. remembered that, as a child, she'd spend the whole afternoon lying before the large oriel windows that gave to the gardens, playing with her many toys or – when she had gotten a bit older – reading a book. She remembered the many July afternoons spent sprawled before those windows as she completed her summer homework or the hours spent listening to her father as he educated her in business and finances. That office held a lot of good memories, hence her feeling oddly relaxed every time he visited it – well, every time she visited when her mother wasn't there.

Her father's desk was still located just in front of the big ornate fireplace, and right against the opposite wall, there was an old green leather couch. When C.C. had started working for Maxwell, Stewart had gifted her an exact copy of it, which was still in Maxwell's office. Every wall was covered in bookcases, each of them containing an astonishing amount of books to go through.

Just as usual, her father was sat on his black leather, full-back office chair, and his elbows were resting on the armrests.

"C.C.!" Stewart said, noticing his daughter first as the door opened and immediately rising from his chair to greet her, a broad smile etched on his lips. "This is such a surprise, Kitten!"

"Hello, Daddy..." C.C. uneasily leaned into his embrace, not quite sure how to hug someone she hadn't spent that much time with. Niles loitered longer, by the door, whilst C.C. greeted her parents.

B.B., unlike Stewart, had not risen from her seat. The thin-faced, expensively dressed, older blonde woman sat straight-backed, and only offered her daughter her cheek with the smallest hint of a smile. She didn't even stand when C.C. approached, forcing the producer to lean over to kiss her.

"Hello, Mother," C.C. attempted a smile.

"Hello, dear," B.B. greeted. Her hands, which had been barely resting on C.C.'s forearms, brushed over the ring on her finger, and she quirked a surprised eyebrow. "I presume this...trinket, on your finger is the reason behind your bursting in, uninvited, on a business meeting?"

"Please, B.B.! She is our daughter, after all. She doesn't have to be invited to be welcome here," Stewart interrupted, coming to put his arm around C.C.'s shoulders. She let the contact happen; the man was on her side, after all. Her father then turned back to her. "But, judging by the fact that you rarely take me up on the open invitation, I'd say that there must be something you wish to discuss with us."

C.C. swallowed, suddenly wishing she'd asked Edward to bring her a glass of whiskey before she had gone in. "Well, I hadn't realised that Mother would be here, too...I had come to discuss something with you, Daddy."

"You mean the ring on your finger, of course?" B.B. had finally got to her feet, and had folded her arms.

"Thank you, Mother, I was wondering how to bring up the issue," C.C. muttered bitterly.

B.B. glared. "Need I remind you, I am still your mother?" C.C. would have replied "no need", but Stewart interrupted again.

"Now, hold on a minute!" he raised his hands for silence. "What ring are you talking about, B.B.?"

"The one on your daughter's finger, Stewart!" the older woman snapped back. Mr. Babcock looked at his daughter, confused. Hesitating, C.C. brought up her hand to show him, a smile starting to spread on her face at the idea of getting to show it off.

"C.C.!" her father seemed elated, and his eyes shone with joy. "My baby girl's engaged!"

The producer's smile twitched, and she made a noise in the back of her throat, "...Not quite. That's what I came to tell you. I was engaged, but..."

"It didn't last?" B.B. cut in.

"No, Mother, it lasted," C.C. was trying to keep herself calm. "What I mean is...I got married today."

In silent shock, both her parents found their way back into their seats. "M-married?" Stewart asked.

"Yes," C.C. replied, feeling more secure now that she'd told them, and nobody had started screaming. Though introducing Niles was still to come (she noticed he hadn't moved too far from the door, and her parents hadn't noticed him thus far), so the phrase _'the day ain't over yet'_ crept to mind.

"When?" Stewart continued his questions. "And where?"

"This morning, and Manhattan Marriage Bureau," C.C. answered lamely, looking at the floor.

"And you didn't think to invite either of us?" B.B. gestured with her hand, between herself and Stewart.

"It was a...spontaneous decision."

The two older people exchanged worried looks. B.B.'s was slightly more forceful, and she was the first to speak after. "Chastity-Claire, have you...gotten into trouble?" the older woman glanced down, towards C.C.'s abdomen.

The producer screwed up her face, "What? No!"

"Are you sure?" her mother insisted as she studied her figure.

"Of course I'm sure!" C.C. replied hastily. "It was an idea based on love, and God forbid, I thought at least one of my parents would be happy for me!"

"I am happy for you, Kitten," Stewart said. "I think you deserve it, after so long. But I must admit, I am a little hurt that I was not invited to attend a ceremony."

"As am I," B.B. added.

C.C. doubted her mother lamented not having been able to see her getting married per se. Most probably, what B.B. regretted was not having the chance to make her daughter's wedding a big social event. No matter how much B.B. disliked her children, when it came to planning their weddings B.B. was an extremely involved parent. The producer remembered that, when D.D. had gotten married, her sister's wedding had been _the_ event of the year, and there was no doubt in her mind that the elder woman had planned to do the same with hers.

Well, C.C. doubted her mother would be eager to plan her wedding ceremony once she had introduced her to her husband, although that remained to be seen. Taking a deep breath so as not to lose her composure just yet, C.C. attempted a smile and spoke again. "There will be a ceremony for friends and family, too, obviously, but this was just something we thought to do for ourselves."

Stewart cocked his head to one side, "And, uh...just who is the other half of this word ' _ourselves_ ', C.C.?"

His daughter began to properly beam again at the thought of her husband. She was about to turn and formerly introduce Niles, when her mother interrupted.

"Did you finally snare that Maxwell Sheffield that you work with?"

And all of a sudden, her good mood was gone again. "No, Mother," C.C. took another calming breath – she had taken so many of them in the last ten minutes that C.C. wondered if they were making any effect. "I've married someone I'm actually in love with."

There was a pause, and then B.B. gestured with her hands. "Well, who is it? Is it someone we know? Someone we've met?"

"Yes, it's someone you've met, Mother," they had no idea. C.C. turned, and gestured towards where Niles was stood, hands folded across his front. "Daddy, Mother, I believe you know Niles, Maxwell Sheffield's butler and my husband."

The end of her sentence was punctuated with a heavy silence. Fighting back the apprehension, she looked towards her parents, hoping to gauge their thoughts and feelings from seeing their faces.

She came to B.B.'s expression first, and found it almost unreadable in how many emotions it displayed – shock, horror, disbelief, embarrassment, disgust, and even anger mixed themselves in to create a particularly unique picture on the older socialite's face.

C.C. quickly turned towards her father, finding his own countenance much more pleasing. Stewart appeared overjoyed in every sense of the word, and was beaming all over his face.

He clapped his hands together once in delight, "Of course I remember! Come on over here, my good man; I might know you, but I want to meet you properly now that you're my son-in-law!"

He then gestured for Niles to come join them, which the blond man began to do as B.B. seemed to join the same plane of existence as everyone else again and looked quickly back and forth between her daughter and her ex-husband.

"Surely you can't be serious?" she asked sharply, causing Niles to stop swiftly in his tracks.

Stewart frowned a little, straightened his back, and lowered his arms, "Of course I'm serious, B.B.. Don't you want to meet the man who managed to win over our C.C.?"

B.B. straightened her own back and huffed, "Servants cannot win over their masters, Stewart."

For a few pregnant seconds, an uncomfortable silence swelled in the room. The air around them was so tense, C.C. believed it could be cut with a butter knife. But the producer refused to give her mother the satisfaction of seeing her quailing, so she simply squared her shoulders and answered B.B.'s question, making sure to keep her voice level. "I married the man I love, Mother, and that should be enough for you."

"And the man you love couldn't have been a senator? The CEO of some global brand? No, you had to settle for the man who irons rags for a living!" B.B. shouted, all efforts at presenting herself in the manner of the high-class lady she was long since departed.

"Mother!" C.C. had seen the older woman this angry before, but had never been brave enough to stand up to her. Bringing Niles into the fray had given the producer a new reason to try, though. "Niles is more like me than any other man I have ever met, and what he does for a living might be a part of who he is, but it does not define who he is!" she turned around, giving an admiring look to her husband. He returned it encouragingly. "He's also brave, and witty, and caring, and a hundred more things that I could name," the producer looked back at her mother again. "But I won't bother going through them. You wouldn't understand. You'd need to know what actual love felt like before you could do that."

B.B., Stewart, and Niles were all speechless, but the looks on each of their faces spoke a thousand words by themselves. B.B. was stunned at the prospect of someone having the nerve to stand up to her. Niles was proud, because C.C. had just beaten what had probably been a large demon in her life, for a long time. Stewart was just amused, he was always up to seeing the harpy of his ex-wife being put in her right place.

Finding a lack of opposition, C.C. continued in her speech, "You've never loved anyone but yourself. Not even finding it in your heart to be happy that your daughter has gotten married is proof enough of that!"

"I would have been happy," B.B. eventually found her voice, sticking a glare straight at Niles. "If you had married the right person."

"Excuse me, mother? You are way out of line! I married the right person, alright," C.C. spat, stalking towards her mother until she was standing inches away from her. "Not to mention, mother, and I am sure this will delight you," C.C.'s words dripped sarcasm, "He happens to be a wizard, too."

Now C.C. could add "nausea" to the list of readable feelings on her mother's face. B.B. straightened herself up as tall as she possibly could, her Chanel-suited chest puffed out like some proud peacock in order to display the dominance over her daughter that she thought she had.

"Well, I'm sure that means he gets all his housework done in record time!" she snapped. "Of course I should have known that he'd be a part of all this magic nonsense! I had hoped that you would find a normal man of decent breeding and class, who would put a stop to all of this foolish behaviour, but you had to stoop yourself so low to find someone who would accept you for the freak that you are, that you scraped the floors of a servant's pantry to do so! I will not have it!"

C.C. sucked in a sharp breath. She had always known that her mother – even if B.B. hadn't said it aloud before – was ashamed of her being a witch, but there was something oddly painful about hearing her say so. Not to get her wrong, C.C. couldn't care less about B.B.'s opinion, but – as much as she'd like to deny it – she was still her mother, and there had been a minuscule part of C.C. that had hoped that her wedding combined with the fact that a second war was coming would be a turning point in her relationship with her mother. Of course the rational part of her mind was aware that her mother had never – and would never – love her for she was, nor she'd accept Niles as her husband; so, even if B.B. calling her a freak had hurt, C.C. was determined not to back down. "Luckily for us, you don't get a choice in this, Mother! A freak I may be, but I am not eleven years old anymore, and you don't get to frighten me into being ashamed of what I am or who I love! Niles and I are married, and you're just going to have to accept it!"

"I will not!" B.B. shouted back. "I have spent too many years making you perfect for high society to waste on a penniless freak who will probably bleed you dry within a month and then leave without so much as a " _so long, sweetheart_ "!"

"I beg your pardon?" Niles interjected, half-horrified by the very thought of what B.B. was imply- no, not implying. Downright stating. "Mrs. Babcock, I have no intention of leaving your daughter-"

"You will speak only when spoken to, butler!" B.B. spat viciously.

That was the final straw for C.C., and her voice dropped from yelling to becoming low, and dangerous, as she rounded on her mother, forcing the older woman to back a few steps. Her hand was on her wand, in her pocket, as she spoke, "Don't you dare speak to him like that. He has just as much right as anyone in this house to speak, even more than certain people! He is a good man, and my husband, and he deserves your respect! So I will not tolerate any insults directed at him that come from you."

B.B. paled, taking in a breath and flaring her nostrils. "I never thought I'd ever be so insulted by my own daughter so thoroughly."

Sensing an opportunity, her new son-in-law stepped forward and – in a blatant attempt to spite B.B. – wrapped an arm around C.C.'s waist. "Haven't you been listening for the past few minutes, then?" he interrupted.

This caused Stewart to chuckle. B.B. turned her head, confused by the two men joining in all of a sudden. She turned her anger on Niles. "You are a servant, and shall speak only if you are spoken to when amongst your betters!"

"I'm sorry, B.B., if people aren't supposed to talk around people they're not better than, why are you still talking?" Stewart laughed louder, having found the same courage as C.C. to stand up to his ex-wife.

Niles also began laughing, and even C.C. was starting to chuckle. B.B. turned to each of them, becoming more confused and angry at each of them, and each reaction. "Stop! Stop it, all of you!" she began to flail her hands angrily.

"Oh, Mother, you look rather upset. Perhaps you would like some water?" C.C. pulled out her wand, pointed it at the older woman, and shouted. " _Aguamenti_!"

A stream of water burst forth, and hit B.B. squarely in the face. As the spell wore away, it left her dripping, and spitting out the remaining liquid.

There was a pause.

And then hilarity mounted, as C.C., Niles, and Stewart rejoiced in B.B.'s current state. The older woman straightened her jacket, huffed, and began to head for the door. "I have never been so insulted in all my life! Mark my words; cheap parlour tricks or none, you will be sorry!" she threatened, before turning once more to face them. "And you may consider our deal off, Stewart."

"Fine," her ex-husband replied. "Maybe my company will try for a trade agreement with your family's again sometime. You know, when we really need to clinch that Atlantis market."

And with that – and while C.C. and Niles fell over themselves laughing – B.B. left, slamming the door behind her.

Stewart clasped his hands together as he smiled smugly to himself; it had been ages since he had last put B.B. in her right place, and certainly there had never been a more perfect opportunity to do so than the one that had just gone past. Problems between him and B.B. had begun long before C.C. was even born, and the breaking point – which had led him to file for divorce – was her inability to accept their daughter's magical nature. Stewart had always been proud of who C.C. was, especially when his youngest had showed to be a brave and powerful warrior, while B.B. had felt ashamed of having a witch in the family. The older Babcock had always respected his children's decisions, especially C.C.'s, while B.B., on the other hand, had always been slightly crueller with C.C. than she was with Noel or D.D.. This had gotten worse when C.C. started her education at Hogwarts. He had had countless arguments with his ex-wife due to allowing his daughter attend a magical school – B.B. despised both her daughter's world and what C.C. was, and she had made it painfully clear.

However, even if he had always been a supportive parent to C.C., they had had a fallout shortly after Sirius had escaped Azkaban back in 1993. He wasn't going to lie, after almost having lost her during the First Magical World, Stewart had wanted C.C. to stay as far away as possible from the magical world, especially after Dumbledore had told him Voldemort would most probably return. His daughter had agreed to do so back when she had first arrived to the States – that's why she had gone to college, where she had eventually met Sarah Sheffield – but after seeing Sirius again, the witch had changed her mind. C.C. had started visiting her ex-fiancé and, consequently, had gotten more and more involved in the upcoming war as time went by. Stewart didn't exactly know what was happening in Wizarding Britain – her daughter saw to that – but by the little C.C. had told him, he knew it was a matter of time before things worsened. After the disastrous summer of 1994, when the Dark Mark had been fired into the sky after a violent quarrel between Ministry officials and a group of Death Eaters, it had been clear for Stewart that C.C. needed to get away, immediately. Alas, his daughter had been unyielding, and no matter how many times Stewart had begged her not to get involved, she had refused to stay out of the conflict.

The older Babcock was not stupid, he knew just how important it was for C.C. to defend what she believed was correct, but he was her father, and after having seen her almost getting killed for the cause, he simply couldn't tolerate her to get involved once again. Stewart couldn't remember exactly how their big argument had started, but it had easily gotten out of control and, before either of them realised it, they were screaming at each other. He couldn't understand why his daughter had to risk her life again, to him it was not fair! C.C. was his daughter, his Kitten, and the thought of her dying at the hands of those monsters was anguishing, to say the least.

And then, he had made the biggest mistake of his life – he lashed out at C.C. and said that, if she didn't quit fighting, he'd rather not see her anymore. Of course he hadn't meant it seriously, but emotions had been running high and – in some twisted way – for a second he had thought that, by not seeing her anymore, it would somehow soften the blow if something happened to her. Besides, he had believed C.C. would choose him over fighting this war… but as it turns out, he had been wrong. Stewart had been deeply hurt by her decision to fight, he had been mad at her for putting him through the fear of losing her once again, but the more time went past, the more he understood his daughter's choice. It hadn't been fair to make her choose between her family or her friends and fiancé – this war meant a lot to her, and the correct thing to do, even if it broke his heart, was to support her if she wanted to get involved.

Stewart had tried to apologise immediately after those words had left his mouth but C.C. wouldn't hear him. His daughter had, in a way, punished for his insensitiveness by not talking to him for two long, painful and arduous years. That's why he was shocked upon hearing she had gotten married to the Sheffield's butler, no less. Stewart's gaze travelled back to both his daughter and his new son-in-law. He had so many questions to ask them, starting by how they ended up married in the first place. Not that he didn't support them, quite the opposite in fact, but he didn't understand how they went from enemies to spouses. Granted, he had believed that – back when Niles and C.C. had been enemies – his daughter spoke too much of someone she supposedly hated, but he had never expected them to get married! How had hate turned into love? And what had motivated his daughter to come back to him?

"Well, it seems your mother won't bother us anymore," Stewart said in a concluding fashion as he opened the office door and gestured ahead. "Why don't we go to the dining room? Edward was about to serve lunch, so we could talk while we eat."

Exchanging a look, Niles and C.C. followed. Stewart led them through the tastefully decorated mansion, pointing out a few paintings or antiques that he suspected Niles might find of interest on the way to the dining room. The butler nodded along politely, making small talk with his new father-in-law as they went. C.C. could only smile to herself – she was happy that the two of them were getting along so well, like they had done the last time Stewart had come around the mansion. Now that she and Niles were married, maybe there'd be more of an opportunity to come visit; her father had welcomed them both with open arms and nothing bad had happened with him at all. She supposed that's what had worried her the most… she had had the irrational fear that her father wouldn't accept Niles as her husband, or even worse, that – after being apart for so long – he wouldn't want anything to do with her or Niles. C.C. knew it had been stupid to distance herself from her family, especially when it had been evident a war would come sooner or later, but there was no point in crying over spilt milk. So far, everything had gone alright – if they ignored the little exchange with her mother, of course – and the witch mentally repeated to herself that that's how things would stay. She looked ahead and spotted her husband looking at her over his shoulder, giving her an encouraging smile. C.C. returned it, and Stewart allowed them both to enter the dining room first. Niles pulled a chair out around the table for his wife, and soon all three family members were seated and ready to be served.

"So, Kitten, we have a lot of catching up to do," Stewart gave her a reassuring smile. "I imagine your marriage is not the only thing you wish to discuss, isn't it?"

C.C. shook her head, and took a sip of her wine; if she was having this conversation with her father she'd need alcohol flowing through her veins. "No, actually there are a number of things we need to discuss."

"I figured. Now, if you don't mind me asking, how did you two get together? The last time I saw you, you declared that he was a pain in the ass and the bane of your existence!" both Stewart and Niles smirked at C.C., and the blonde could feel Niles' hand caressing her thigh. In a way, he still was the bane of her existence and the thorn in her side, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's a long story, and for the record, he still is a pain in the ass, but he is my pain in the ass," C.C. entwined her hand with Niles'. "It all started a few months ago when Sirius was murdered and-"

C.C. was cut off by the sound of her father coughing out, trying to dislodge the piece of steak that he was choking with. Sirius was dead?! Her daughter's first fiancé was dead?! But how…? And who had done it? And….

 _Oh no._

 _Oh no, no, no…_

Stewart paled. He remembered back when C.C. had gotten involved in the First Magical War murders were common occurrence, but it had been years since one of her loved ones had died. So, as much as he dreaded to even think so, this could only mean one thing: there was another war at their doorstep.

Overcome with a number of strong emotions – fear, love, sadness, guilt, pain… – Stewart stood from his place, walked to his daughter and gave her a tight hug. "I am so sorry Kitten."

C.C. returned his hug, finally allowing herself to tear down the last wall between her and her father. She felt protected in his embrace, but not in the same way she felt protected when Niles held her – it was a different kind of safety, it was as though she was a young child again and her father was holding her after she had suffered from a nightmare. She remembered that when she had a bad dream or was afraid, she'd crawl into her parents' bed and Stewart would hold her until she was fast asleep again; he would tell her she could beat any monster that crossed her way, something she intended to do now that a second war was coming.

"Thank you, Daddy..." C.C. sighed, feeling more comfortable. If she could beat real monsters, out in the physical world, she could have a damn good go at beating the ones that had held her back inside. "I couldn't believe it myself, either. I was so shocked when I heard, I just had to get back to Britain..."

Finishing their hug, the two retook their seats, and began to have their first proper conversation in years. Niles watched the scene unfolding, his heart swelling with pride for his wife. She was opening up, and probably finally overcoming her need to keep everything to herself. Whether she shared with him, or with her father, she had a system of support. Hopefully, this meant she realised she didn't have to be alone. With the war coming, they were going to need all the friends they could get.

C.C. told him everything, she bared her fears and soul before the two important men in her life. She told him about the pain, the funeral, dating Niles and their posterior engagement. Stewart listened attentively, giving her all the space and time she needed to vent. By the end of her story, C.C. was leaning against Niles' side and he had an arm draped around her shoulders while her head rested in the crook of his neck.

"Kitten," her father began, his voice suddenly sounding faint and wobbly. "Does this mean the man who terrorised the magical community is back? Is there a war really looming over?" the eldest Babcock couldn't help but to feel the same rancid feeling he had experienced the night C.C. had almost died after being stunned. He remembered Dumbledore taking him to Hogwarts in a rush, where he found a barely alive and brutally battered C.C. lying unconscious on a hospital bed. He was scared for his child's life and part of him couldn't – and didn't want to – believe she had to take part in another conflict.

C.C. looked down to her lap, avoiding her father's obviously worried eyes. "Yes, he is back. That's why I wanted to come – with the war coming I might have to disappear again and both Niles and I have, and want, to fight. I didn't want to leave without fixing things between us, because I might not get a second chance to do so."

Stewart sighed, almost seeming to visibly deflate, in Niles' opinion. The man did not look as well as he had only a second ago, either. His face had taken on a slightly greyish hue. "I understand," he nodded, attempting a smile. "I'm glad you came here. If the war had happened, and you'd gone to fight without telling me...I wouldn't have known what to do."

Niles nodded, takin his wife's hand in his own and gripping it tightly. "And we are both very happy to be here, Mr. Babcock," the butler reassured.

"Oh, Niles; please, call me Stewart," the older man waved a hand dismissively, the smile on his face becoming larger. "I've already welcomed you to the family, you should enjoy all the privileges that go with that."

Niles chuckled softly, "Well, thank you...Stewart."

His father-in-law nodded promptly, as though settling the manner. He then indicated to their plates. "Well, anyway, we should eat this wonderful meal that Edward's made before it gets cold."

They knew Stewart was trying to politely end the subject they had just been discussing. Most probably, the pain and fear he was experiencing could easily ruin the mood, and considering they had just gotten married, there was no point in doing that. So, as the three adults enjoyed their delicious meal, the war was momentarily forgotten. Niles noticed just how relaxed C.C. seemed to be; he knew she had just got ridden of a burden that she had carried around for a long time, and it warmed his heart to know he had helped her do that.

Once they were back at the penthouse after having spent a pleasant, but tiring, day at Stewart's house, C.C. went straight to bed while Niles took care of dinner. The blonde woman was considerably more relaxed now that she had cleared the air with her father. In truth, C.C. had grown to fear being loved after the first war, both because of the pain of losing loved ones, and because of the pain her own death could bring to them. She had thought that solitude would bring her peace, but it had only worsened her pain. It took her long to understand that it was better to be accompanied than to hide, that it was better to share her burden rather than trying to carry it by herself, and she had to thank her wonderful husband for that.

"Babcock, your doggy food is ready!" Niles announced, entering the room while carrying a tray laden with two plates and their drinks.

 _'Speak of the devil and the devil shall come'_ C.C. thought to herself as she sat on the bed and propped herself against the mountain of pillows behind her. "It was about damn time, Butler Boy, I thought I'd starve to death!" she said, watching her husband taking his place by her side.

He planted a kiss on her temple as he carefully edged himself onto the bed, tray balanced in his lap. C.C. gently pulled it over, so that it was shared between their legs, and began to help herself. "You starving to death? Highly unlikely, considering your current size," he quipped before tucking a stray golden lock behind her ear. He took a moment to appreciate the delicate beauty of his new wife. _His wife_ … he'd never get tired of calling her that. "Feeling a little happier?" Niles asked, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"In truth? A lot," she took another bite of food. "I never thought I could go into that house and just...actually have a nice time, talking with my father."

"I'm glad you enjoyed today. It was our wedding day, after all," Niles gave her a squeeze, his mouth hovering close to her ear. "And, you know that that means tonight is our wedding night..."

"Oh, buzz off!" C.C. giggled as his lips found the skin of her earlobe. She grabbed her fork, scooped up some food, and shoved it into his mouth. Niles quickly ate it, laughing.

"This is certainly better than a lot of wedding cakes I've eaten before..."

"Mm, I wouldn't be so sure," C.C. carried on eating. "But...I have to thank you, really. For today, I mean."

"No, you don't. It was a pleasure to see you and your father getting along so well," Niles kissed her cheek, and picked up his cutlery in order to start his own plate. "I'm proud of you. Mrs. Brightmore."

His wife looked up from her plate, lowering her fork, "...I like it, when you say that."

The butler shrugged in reply, smirking, "I like saying it. I'll say it again, if you want."

C.C. glanced between him and the tray thoughtfully, put down her knife and fork, and wiped her fingers and face on the napkin Niles had provided. She then placed her hand over his, bidding him to lower his own silverware. "Why don't we clean up really quick, and then started on that wedding night you mentioned?"

"My, aren't we anxious? That's how I like it," he replied in a low voice, sharing a mischievous smirk with the blonde witch. With a flick of his wand – which was soon tossed to the floor, too – the tray with food was quickly put aside and forgotten. The two wizards helped the other out of their clothes, engaging in heated kissed as their garments made their way to the floor. Their hands roamed the body of the other, trying to touch every bit of skin they found. They both had an undeniable urgency to feel the other, to be connected, so Niles – not wanting to delay the consummation of their marriage any longer – positioned himself between her legs, and sheathed himself in her. The pair took a moment to relish in the feeling before slowly building a pace that suited them. She pulled him close to her, and hid her face in the crook of his neck; she breathed in his scent, a scent she was sure she'd never get tired of, and sighed an almost inaudible "I love you."

Niles' lips searched for hers. "And I love you too."

The room fell into a comfortable silence until, almost two hours later, soft music began to play in the background after C.C. gave a flick of her own wand. The couple was laying together, basking in the afterglow of an intense and fulfilling lovemaking session. C.C. was snuggled against his side, her head resting on his chest as she used her ringed hand to caress his chest.

"Well, stud," she sneered, "Once again you managed to outdo yourself.

Niles chuckled, seeing in the depth of her blue eyes just how _satisfied_ she was. "Ditto, my witch. I hope that you know that, now that we are officially married, you can't get rid of me."

"Neither can you. As I said today, you are my pain in the ass, and I love you with all my heart," C.C. paused for a second and snorted a laugh. "Oh dammit, we've softened! Look at us, cuddling, saying that we love each other, calling the other sweet names... Our past selves would have been horrified to know this was their future."

Niles had to laugh, too. "Well, our past selves were lonely and bitter, so I'd say our present selves are much better."

"Hm, true that, Hazel," the blonde snuggled closer to her husband, already feeling her eyelids growing heavy. She nestled her head just over his heart, allowing the constant thumping noise to lull her into a pleasant semi-asleep state. He lazily brushed his hand up and down her spine, also allowing himself to doze off. There, as they lied with their arms wrapped around each other, the newlyweds felt like they were in heaven; their bodies moulded together with ease, making them firmly believe in the notion that they were just meant to be.

Just when C.C. was about to fall asleep, however, their pleasant slumber was rudely interrupted by the shrilling sound of the phone. Twin groans echoed through the room as the lovers untangled their bodies so C.C. could reach the pesky buzzing artefact that was laying on her bedside table, just next to her wand. If she had to bet, the unwanted call could either be from her father or Maxwell – honestly, knowing his infamous bad timing, it probably was the latter.

"Whoever you are, this better be important," the producer barked into the phone.

"My, aren't we in a bad mood!" her associate's voice answered from the other end of the line.

C.C. had to bite back another annoyed groan. She had been correct… Maxwell Sheffield had interrupted another special moment between her and Niles. Probably, the Englishman's timing was either some twisted cosmic joke, or a strange curse they had yet to discover how to lift. At any rate, she was annoyed and eager to go back to her husband, so she didn't want to make the conversation longer than necessary.

"Sheffield, you better watch your tone or the first thing I'll do when I arrive to the mansion tomorrow is hex you! You've just interrupted my wedding night, so say what you need to say, and make it quick! I have a husband waiting for me."

C.C. realised what she had said a moment too late; husband and wife exchanged pained looks, knowing she had just cut their peaceful night short. It was a matter of time before yenta brigade got to know about them eloping and, knowing Fran, all hell would surely break loose.

"D-did you just say 'wedding'?! A-and 'husband'?!" the voice down the phone eventually stuttered out.

"No, Maxwell, I said 'ski weekend' and 'beef stew'," the producer replied, her words dripping with sarcasm and her annoyance going in crescendo. "Didn't you hear me the first time?"

"There's no need to be like that, C.C.!" Maxwell sounded offended, and a little angry.

C.C. sighed, "Alright, alright! I'm sorry. But if you were just about to have some alone time with, say, Nanny Fine, would you want someone interrupting you?"

There was a silence as Maxwell thought this over. "As long as that remains off the record, I'll say I'm sorry."

"That's alright," C.C. replied. "Now, what were you calling for?" As her associate began to reply, she held the phone away from her ear just enough for Niles, who had sat up and shifted closer, to eavesdrop.

"That doesn't matter now! I want to hear about this wedding that you two have had, that it seems no one was invited to!"

The producer couldn't help but exchange smirks with Niles. "Nanny Fine is certainly turning you into a first-grade yenta, Maxwell. You'll be wanting all the gossip, soon enough."

"I only require gossip if it involves me," Maxwell defended. There was then some commotion in the background, and a high pitched voice briefly surfaced, before Maxwell managed to take the phone back. "Miss Fine apparently overheard the word 'wedding', and now we're on our way over. So... whatever it is you two are doing right now, you might want to stop until we've gone."

Niles pulled a face, and began to search for his clothes as C.C. rubbed her forehead, trying to nurse the headache she had clumsily caused herself. "Alright, Maxwell. I guess we'll see you in a minute."

The two producers said their goodbyes, and C.C. hung up. She joined her husband in searching for everything, and straightened up the bedcovers. They had to be quick – from the noise coming down the other end of the phone, it had seemed Fran was ready to go the moment she heard their news. The woman didn't need magic to get somewhere quickly once she'd heard something like that.

Once the room had been properly straightened up, both Niles and C.C. carelessly put their wizard robes on and walked into the living room, so as to await for their friends to arrive. C.C. didn't bother to put on some make-up, and Niles chose not to comb his tousled sandy locks. They were far too tired and too in a bad mood to do so.

"I should have known better than to mention the wedding to yenta central," C.C. grumbled, plopping herself down onto the sofa. Niles nodded in agreement as he took a seat next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Miss Fine is like a hound, she instantly detects when someone is either talking about a wedding or planning one."

"I can't imagine what she will be like when her own wedding day comes. Let's hope Maxwell grows a pair and asks her out anytime soon," the producer huffed as she used her wand to summon the remote.

Niles shot an amused look at his wife. She had never said that Mr. Sheffield and Miss Fine belonged together before. Although he knew she was not pining after Maxwell anymore, her acknowledging that the nanny and the producer were meant to be together made him strangely happy.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked when she noticed him staring at her in faux surprise. "I am not blind, I can see that he loves her and she's been over him since she stepped a foot in the mansion."

Niles turned away, still smiling, and switched on the television. He channel hopped until he came across an old sitcom, and he left it there. "It's just nice to hear you say it, that's all," he pointed at the screen, where the title character's scheming sister, something of a jealous loner with a penchant for cruelty, had just appeared. "Wouldn't want you to end up like her."

"I don't know," C.C. mused aloud. "I always thought she was rather fun when I was a child..."

"Not as fun as you are," her husband retorted, nuzzling her cheek. "And this new attitude of yours will make you infinitely more popular."

"Hm. Not 'infinitely', I hope," C.C. grinned, leaning into his side. "I do have a reputation to uphold." Their laughter fell away to a comfortable silence as they watched the television until the credits played at the end of the show. They began hoping their friends would wait until tomorrow for them to explain why they had eloped, but their hopeful looks slipped the moment somebody rang the doorbell.

"You are the butler, you answer the door," C.C. said as she made herself comfortable on the sofa.

Niles rolled his eyes at her. "This was your fault and now I have to answer the door? Unbelievable," the man feigned annoyance and strode to the door as he took the keys from one of his pockets before opening it. Behind it, stood Maxwell and Fran, each of them wearing a scowl on their faces and with their arms crossed across their fronts. If Niles didn't know better, he'd have said that was exactly how their friends glared at Brighton whenever the boy messed up. "Uh... do come in," Niles mumbled and gestured inside, making way for their friends to step into their home.

C.C. had already gotten up from the sofa and was standing just a few feet away from Niles. She didn't seem to care about the two guests who were now throwing furious glares at her; as a matter of fact, the cheeky smile etched across her lips suggested that she found the situation rather amusing. Well, even if Maxwell and Nanny Fine's intrusion had interrupted their wedding night, there was something hilarious about their friends having crossed the city just to hear from their marriage. "Well, what's brought you to the Brightmore's home tonight?" she sneered.

There was a moment of quiet as Fran and Maxwell continued to stare at them. C.C.'s smile wavered, and as the glares she was receiving from her friends remained for even longer, it disappeared completely. The producer folded her arms. "Alright, I know you've got something to say, so just come out and say it."

Maxwell gestured for Fran to proceed. The nanny squared herself up, and advanced a couple of steps forward dangerously. "You two got married, and you didn't tell us?!" she screeched. "You didn't even think about inviting us at all?! We're yer best friends! We were yer maid of honour and yer best man! We were supposed ta be helping you with this, and ya go off by yourselves and-"

"Miss Fine, please!" Niles interrupted her rant, trying to get her to calm down. "You both still are involved in the wedding."

"I've never been so insulted in all my- huh...?" Fran blinked, her rage momentarily quelled.

Niles took advantage of the quiet, and started explaining. "We had a civic ceremony down at the Marriage Bureau, yes, but we still want a religious and a magical ceremony, too," he put his arm around C.C.'s waist and she leaned into his embrace.

"We'll still need a best man and a maid of honour for at least one of those," the blonde producer shrugged.

Fran seemed to relax at this, and took a step back, "So...you still want a proper wedding? I'm still your maid of honour?"

"Nanny Fine, even if I said 'no' to that question, I don't think I'd be able to stop you," C.C. smiled, a low chuckle in the back of her throat. "So, yes, you are still my maid of honour."

Immediately after the blonde producer had spoken, the nanny's attitude gave a 180 degree turn; the glare she had sported gone and replaced by a wide, toothy smile. "Oh my Gawd! I am so happy for you!" she cried, and caught both of her friends in a hug. "You are married, and happy and-" Fran pulled away and glanced over at Niles, smiling in something akin to wonder, "Wait a second... Now I know your last name! It's Brightmore!" the nanny chirped, clapping her hands in a celebratory manner. "I don't understand why you kept it hidden all these years, it's not so bad."

Niles shrugged, he had forgotten about the little issue with his last name. His name didn't bother him in the slightest, but he rather considered it was irrelevant to make it known to the people he served. He was a domestic, and in his view, making his surname known was unnecessary. "I don't know, Miss Fine, I preferred to be addressed by my first name only," suddenly, a wicked thought crossed his mind, and the butler's eyes gleamed with malice. "And speaking of first names... I now happen to know C.C.'s! It's a lovely name, really… Isn't it, Cha-"

"Don't you dare!" C.C. pulled away from Niles and drew out her wand before pointing it at her husband. "I will curse you."

Niles seemed to ponder her threat but, after having momentarily lulled her into a false sense of security, he spoke again, "Oh, but it's lovely, honey! _Chastity Claire Brightmore_ , I think it suits you."

"Chastity Claire?!" both Max and Fran exclaimed, gaping at the blonde woman.

"I'm going to be generous and give you a five second head start," C.C. hissed.

Niles, who had a deer caught in the headlights kind of look on his face, began to speak quickly, "It doesn't take away the fact that they now know-"

His wife continued, "Four...three..."

"Alright, alright!" Niles threw up his hands defensively. "If I say I'm sorry, will you promise not to hex me?"

C.C. pretended to consider his petition and folded her arms again, still holding her wand but no longer pointing it towards him, "I'm not gonna make a promise I know I won't keep...all I can say is I won't hex you right now."

Their Muggle friends watched the scene unfold, their amusement barely concealed. It seemed that marriage, even if only for a short time so far, hadn't changed either of them one bit. The two newlyweds then turned back to their guests. "Well, where are our manners?" Niles gestured to the sofa. "Please, have a seat."

Both Maxwell and Fran nodded approvingly and promptly made their way to the comfortable sitting room, choosing to seat in separate armchairs. Their hosts soon joined them while the tray laden with drinks and cookies Niles had summoned floated to the coffee table.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of this set up," Fran indicated to the floating tray, as she took her glass.

"I probably will," Niles muttered, sipping his own drink.

C.C. left her husband to his conversation with Fran and turned to her associate, "So, Maxwell, what had you planned on telling me on the phone earlier?"

"Oh yeah, right," the man fumbled with the cookie in his hand. "Coincidentally, it has to do with the wedding. As you well know, I told Niles about the chapel nearby my family estate," both blondes nodded, their curiosity peaked. "Yesterday, I spoke to my father and asked him to talk with the priest about the possibility of the ceremony being held there. By the way, he sends his congratulations to both of you," Maxwell made a pause as his friends voiced their thanks. "He called me today and informed me there are only two available dates left in a time span of 6 months: the 28th December or 30th April. The priest told him that, if you want the wedding to be held there, you must book the chapel now."

There was a short silence, lasting a minute at most, where the newlyweds stared at their friend in bewilderment. Maxwell Sheffield was not a thoughtful person, hence them never expecting him to do what he had; granted, he had told them about the chapel, but the couple had thought they'd have to call themselves to set a date. Choosing the wedding venue hadn't taken them long – Niles had always wanted to get married in that church (after all, he had been baptised, taken his first communion and been confirmed there) and C.C. didn't really care about the venue as long as it had a priest that could pronounce them man and wife. Besides, considering that in the past two days they had gotten engaged and had had a shotgun wedding, the venue had been the last thing in their minds.

"That was incredibly thoughtful of you, sir," the butler said, putting an end to the silence that had lingered between them.

Maxwell waved a dismissive hand. "No need to thank, Old Man, I am your best man, after all."

Fran's smile gave way to a deep scowl and proceeded to nudge the British producer in the ribs, "And Miss Fine was the one who told me to ask my father for a favour."

The nanny nodded, the smile having returned to her face now that she had been given her due credit.

"Well then, we should thank you both," Niles addressed both of their friends, before turning to C.C.. "Which day do you think is best, love?"

"We did discuss late in the year, didn't we? Does December 28th sound good to you?" she suggested, figuring there was no sense in delaying their wedding. The war could break out at any moment, they didn't exactly have all the time in the world.

"It sounds perfect," sharing a smile, they turned back to their friends. "I think that settles it, then. We'll book the chapel for the 28th."

"Ah, that's fantastic! I will inform my father first thing in the morning," said Maxwell, helping himself to another cookie. "I must admit, he was quite surprised when I told him you two were engaged. And speaking of parents, have you told yours about your nuptials, C.C.?"

C.C. smiled at his friend, recalling the events of their day. "Yes, actually I have. We dropped by my father's place after we got married. He was more than happy, although my charming mother ruined the mood."

Maxwell grimaced. He had seen B.B. Babcock a couple of times, and by the little he had witnessed and knew about C.C.'s relationship with her, the British producer was sure she mustn't have been pleased by her daughter's choice for a husband. He understood C.C.'s reaction, though, his own mother was a shrew who had been horrified about him fancying his nanny – not to mention her screaming bloody murder when she was told that Jocelyn had married her chauffeur.

"But did everything end up ok?" Fran asked her blonde friend.

Niles and C.C. shared an accomplice smile, the image of a drenched B.B. popping in their minds. "They went more than ok. I even managed to hex my mother!" the witch said gleefully.

"C.C., you didn't!" Maxwell was shocked. If he was being honest, he'd thought about how things would be if he could do the same to people he knew in his life, but he'd only ever had those thoughts before he knew magic was an actual possibility.

"I did," the blonde woman nodded her head proudly. "I looked her right in the eye, and I doused her with water."

"Chastity Claire Brightmore," Fran playfully chastised. "I'd never have taken you for such a rebel!"

"You'll see how much of a rebel I can be, if you use that name again," C.C. warned back, just as playfully.

"Now, now, C.C..." Niles pretended to hold his wife back, and she gave him an elbow in the side, causing him to make a noise of discomfort and feign injury. "...Carry on, dear..." All four laughed, and conversation flowed easily as Niles hexed the drinking glasses to refill themselves.

"This is definitely something I'll never get tired of..." Fran helped herself to her next glass. Maxwell sipped his drink, "I suppose the meeting with your parents didn't go well just because you got to humiliate your mother, C.C.?"

"Why shouldn't that be the only reason? You know my wife loves humiliating people," this comment from Niles earned him a mock glare and another elbow in the arm from the blonde producer, who turned and smiled at their guests.

"No, Maxwell, it wasn't the only reason. I wanted to introduce my father to his new son-in-law and…" the blonde made a pause, her gaze briefly dropping to her lap. Nanny Fine and Maxwell didn't know the reasons behind the disagreement she had had with her father and, for obvious reasons, bringing up the war was upsetting. Even if C.C. didn't know when, or how the war would commence, there was a part of her that feared that, by mentioning it, it would start at any second. She knew they'd eventually have to leave, it was something she had accepted long ago, but she didn't want to go just yet… not when she had just started her life with Niles. When the blonde looked back up, she had a fake – although convincing – smile on her face. "… and my father was very happy for us. He welcomed Niles into the family straight away, and we even stayed and had lunch with him."

Niles arched an eyebrow at her, wordlessly asking why she hadn't told them the full truth. C.C.'s answer was a faint shake of her head; it was better this way, she didn't want to talk about the fight she had had with Stewart or the war. Just then, she only wanted to enjoy the evening with her friends and husband. Thankfully, the butler didn't press the subject and they resumed the conversation.

"Well, it's no wonder why he received me with open arms," Niles spoke, the cheeky grin his wife loved so much hinting he was about to deliver a zinger. "At the rate you were going, you were going to end up a lonely spinster with only a cat by your side for company."

Immediately came yet another elbow in his side, although this time the butler yelped in pain. She didn't even flinch, though. "Keep that up and you are ending our wedding night sleeping on the couch," C.C. warned him.

"That reminds me," the nanny interjected before Niles could say anything back to his wife. "We should be going. After all, it's your night and we've bothered you enough," she stood from her armchair and tugged at Maxwell's arm. It took a moment for the dense producer to grasp Miss Fine's intentions, but he eventually rose to his feet, too, and headed to the door. "We'll see ourselves out," Fran spoke again.

"Yes, and don't bother coming to work tomorrow. Take a few days, the pair of you," the British producer smiled at his friends as he smoothed his suit. "You deserve to enjoy yourselves."

The couple shared a sly grin and C.C. leaned into Niles' embrace. "Thank you, Maxwell, we certainly will," C.C. said, using her lithe fingers to play with Niles' hair. "We promise to thoroughly _enjoy ourselves_."

Even someone as dense as Maxwell could grasp the innuendo behind her words – not to mention her soft croon also gave an indication of what the couple considered by 'enjoying themselves'. Niles, C.C. and Fran had to bite back laughter at the sight of Maxwell's flustered expression. The man was a prude, and it had been too good an opportunity to pass up making him uncomfortable.

"Uh… yeah… whatever," the producer said, quickly opening the door and stepping outside to head towards the elevator. "See you in a few days,"

After the sound of Maxwell's footsteps had died down, the nanny shook her head and stuck a mock glare at the newlyweds. "You two are wicked! Well, I better go and check he," she pointed in the direction Maxwell had left. "Is alright. Have fun!"

And with that, Fran breezed out of the penthouse, leaving two amused Brightmores behind.

"Wicked, wicked woman…" Niles purred, nuzzling his wife's cheek.

"And that's exactly how you want me," she replied matter-of-factly. "Now, shall we go back to bed?"

It took a second for Niles to both get up of the sofa and lift his wife in his arms. "You won't hear any arguments from me."

The witch laughed as she linked her arms around his shoulders and allowed him to carry back to their bed. It took them mere seconds to get rid of their clothes once again, and they soon were snuggled under the covers, revelling in the feeling of their bare skin touching. It didn't take long for them to begin dozing off again – or at least that's what happened to Niles. As sleep slowly enveloped him, he felt his wife shifting in his embrace.

"Go to sleep, Babcock," he hummed, brushing his fingers up and down her spine. Her answer was simply crawling on top of him and resting her head in the crook of his neck. The butler smiled – he would have never thought C.C. was a person who liked to cuddle, but his wife was full of surprises… he dropped a kiss on the top of her head and laid his hands on the small of her back.

Had he been not so tired, he would have noticed her reaching out for his wand, which had been reposed on the bedside table. Next thing he knew – and that startled him awake – was that his hands were tied to the headboard and that his wife was sat on top of him, a devilish smirk etched across her face.

"W-what are you doing?!" he quaked, writhing his hands against the ties in a futile attempt to free himself.

"Payback is a bitch baby, and so am I," the woman purred, trailing kisses down his throat and along his chest.

Niles shivered. Her voice had dropped an octave, something that only happened when she was aroused. He felt his mouth was suddenly very dry, and the room felt awfully hot. "Payback? What did I do to you?!"

His wife laughed, never once stopping her delicious ministrations. "I am afraid you do have a bad memory! Think back, lover."

Niles tried, he really tried, but the feeling of her on him – kissing, touching, licking and nipping his body – didn't allow him to even breathe straight, much less think. "I… I… dear God, woman!"

"Let me give you a little clue: you told Maxwell and Nanny Fine my first name," she raked her nails against his skin, eliciting a gasp from her husband. "I promised not to hex you, but there are lots of other fun ways to torture you."

"Bring it on, Chastity Claire," He groaned back, earning himself a slap on his chest.

"With pleasure, Hazel," were the last words spoken, at least until – an hour and a half later – the two lovers whispered their love for one another and fell into a peaceful, undreaming sleep.

* * *

 **AN: Here goes another! We'd appreciate you to review :) Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Chapter 14_**

 ** _The Mission_**

Going on a Honeymoon is something considered habitual for newlywed couples to do. It's a lovely tradition, really, and C.C. had always pictured hers would be spent in a paradisiac beach, lying alongside her new husband while sipping on a piña colada. She had imagined those wonderful days would be spent making love and simply revelling on the knowledge she now had someone to share life with. But, as it turns out, she had been wrong – something that had become almost the rule during these past months.

Her honeymoon didn't take place in some wonderful tropical paradise, but rather it transpired in her own penthouse bedroom – more specifically in her own king-sized bed. It hadn't lasted a few days, either, it only consisted in a couple of hours that were thoroughly spent making love and cuddling with her husband – and it was perfect. The producer hadn't been able to stop a delighted smile from stretching her lips when she awoke to find herself safely hidden in Niles' embrace while a pair of sky-blue eyes stared down at her. They had shared a good morning kiss before he had hopped out of bed to prepare them breakfast, after which they quickly stumbled back to their bed, anxious to reengage on the customary marital activities. Only when the last rays of the day kissed New York goodbye where they able to leave the bed, and not exactly because they wanted to. They had a late Order meeting to attend to, hence them having to begrudgingly disentangle themselves from one another when all they wanted was to lay together in their peaceful haven.

After they had taken a shower (together) and put their robes on, the newlyweds Disapparated to Hogsmeade. Darkness had already consumed Britain when they got to the little village, and the opalescent moon and stars were hidden behind a dense layer of black clouds, a tell-tale sign that a storm was coming. They could see Hogwarts' outline in the distance, the lights coming from its insides resembling little luminous orbs that flickered into the night.

"Let's step up the pace, we wouldn't want them to start without us," said C.C. as they neared the castle, the enormous oak doors already appearing into view. His answer was a displeased huff, which caused C.C.'s grin to widen. "What's wrong, Hazel? Still sore from last night's punishment?" she asked in a singsong voice and not even bothering to hide her amusement.

"You certainly know your stuff," he winced when a still-delicate spot on his behind began to ache as they made their way up the steps into the castle.

"You weren't too unskilled yourself, lover," C.C. leaned close to him, murmuring in his ear. "But I'll warn you now, if you misbehave again, there will be consequences."

"Don't tempt me, Chastity Claire," Niles growled back, stopping at the top of the steps to capture her lips in a quick kiss.

"Oh, well now you're just asking for punishment, mister!" C.C.'s voice was deep, and she kissed him back with enthusiasm. They were so engrossed in their little make-out session that neither of them heard the heavy doors being opened nor the footsteps thudding on the stone floor. Eventually – after it became evident that the couple wasn't aware they had company – a low, deep cough interrupted them, causing both Brightmores to swiftly break apart. Jumping slightly, they turned to face the person who had caught them. Severus Snape, clad in his usual long, billowing black robes, stood watching them.

"Professor Dumbledore sent me to see what was taking the pair of you so long," the potions master's voice held its usual tone of unimpressed. "The Order have gathered and the meeting is about to start. If you might care to prise yourselves off one another and follow me?"

The couple exchanged a look. It was obvious that the potions master was holding back a number of caustic comments; considering they knew they were already running late for the meeting, snogging at the castle's door was more than a little juvenile on their part.

"Of course Severus, we apologise for our tardiness," the butler replied, snaking an arm around his wife's waist.

"We simply got carried away, which is not uncommon for newlyweds," C.C. deadpanned, effectively breaking the news to her former housemate.

Severus quirked an eyebrow, and the hint of a smile appeared on his lips as he turned on his heels and gestured for the couple to follow. The distance between the entrance hall and Dumbledore's office was covered mostly in silence – although Niles and C.C. briefly murmured how they were going to break the news to the rest of the Order. Meanwhile, Snape thought about the many galleons he was about to get and in what he could spend them. Thankfully, the castle was asleep, and the hallways that would be usually bustling with students were deserted – although they did come across Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris, and also with Peeves, who gave C.C. a respectful bow. The poltergeist might be a devious troublemaker, but he had great respect for seasoned pranksters such as C.C. or Fred and George Weasley.

After Snape had given the password to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office, the three wizards climbed up the stairs and breezed into the room, where the rest of the Order was already sat around Dumbledore's desk. The headmaster was the first one to rise from his seat when the newcomers made their entrance, and Minerva followed him suit.

"Ah, Miss Babcock and Mr. Brightmore, welcome!" said Dumbledore as both him and his deputy headmistress made their way to the door in order to greet the two former students.

"It's ' _Mrs. Brightmore_ ', Professor," C.C. corrected the headmaster.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Albus before briefly glancing at Minerva, who was giving him a self-satisfied smirk.

"It's Mrs. Brightmore now," the producer explained, showing her ring to her mentors. She would have never thought so, but she truly liked showing it off. "We got married yesterday."

A shocked silence filled the room for a second, but shortly after, every member of the Order started to either give away galleons or receive them.

"Albus, it's time for you to pay!" Minerva chirped gleefully as she extended an open hand to her boss.

"Very well, Minerva," the headmaster brought forth a purse with a drawstring from his robes, opened it, and reached inside. "Fifty galleons, was it?"

"Fifty precisely," the Transfiguration professor agreed, receiving her money. "Thank you."

The gambling going on before their eyes stunned both Niles and C.C., who couldn't help but stare in bewilderment at their friends. Lupin was receiving a large sum of money from a visibly upset Elphias Doge while Moody, Snape and Tonks counted the money they had received as a price for their asserted bet.

"You were all betting all along that the two of us would end up married?" the producer eventually choked out, gripping her husband's forearm for support.

"Well, not all of us," Kingsley Shacklebolt replied carefully. "Molly and I felt that it was...in poor taste."

The Weasley matriarch nodded in agreement, "I don't think it's right to put a price on somebody else's love!"

She didn't notice as her husband pocketed the galleons that had just been slipped to him by another Order member.

"How long has this been going on?" Niles quizzed the gathered group. However, the people before them remained oddly silent.

"Since first they saw you two in the same place at the same time," Moody eventually answered, leaning one elbow on the table.

"We weren't even together then...!" C.C. lamely tried to defend herself. "We...we hated...!" her attempts at explaining that they couldn't possibly have known this was going to happen fell more and more flat, as each Order member gave a new piece of evidence.

 _"You went everywhere together."_

 _"Neither one of you could stand the idea of the other getting hurt."_

 _"_ _You fought like you were already married anyway."_

"Bu-but...! We didn't even know...!" C.C. kept on trying gesturing helplessly between herself and her husband, who had begun to smile softly.

Niles put a hand on her shoulder, "Give it a rest, love. I think we'll just have to concede defeat, and accept the conclusion that they knew something we didn't."

C.C. sighed, and slipped into a chair without another word. Niles followed suit.

"Well, maybe with current personal business concluded, we can proceed onto Order business?" Kingsley asked, drumming his fingers against Dumbledore's desk in an impatient manner.

"I concur," Remus nodded.

"Very well then. Let the meeting commence," Albus sat back down on his chair, and gestured at Snape. "Severus, my boy, would you please inform the Order of what you've heard?"

The snarky potions teacher gave a sharp nod at the old headmaster and straightened his back. Judging by the stony look on his face, the information he was about to deliver was most grave, and the mere thought of it made C.C.'s stomach tighten into a knot. "The Dark Lord is gaining allies," he finally deadpanned. "More and more creatures are engaging in negotiations with Him and there is number of them who already have decided to take his side – mostly those the ministry considers inferior or sub-human. He is planning on infiltrating the ministry slowly and silently. The Dark Lord wants to create confusion, to rise to power in the darkness. The strategy is to induce such fear people won't know who to trust," Severus stopped his speech for a second and glanced at the Brightmores, hinting that the information that was to come was especially pertinent to them. "He's also targeting well known members of the Order, so you must be careful – it's only a matter of time before people start disappearing again."

"That's what I was afraid of," Molly muttered, possibly to Arthur, but most likely to herself.

"Alright, we don't go anywhere alone. In this day and age, that's more of a given. What are we doing about the recruitment of magical creatures?" C.C. asked, leaning forward and planting her hands on the desk. They needed to form a plan, to get on gear and start acting; the more creatures joined Voldemort, the smaller their chance of victory would become.

"We have made some contacts, in an attempt to bring some certain groups onto our side," Remus answered her. "It has been...less successful so far than we might have hoped. But we are trying."

C.C. nodded. She had little experience with magical creatures, really. Her Care of Magical Creatures classes at school had probably been her worst because the thought of touching some of the slimier bug-like animals had repelled her greatly. But even she could see the advantage in having giants and other such creatures as allies. "Have you made contact with the different tribes of giants?"

"Yes, we have. Both Hagrid and Madame Maxime tried to parley them and get them to join our cause, but the mission was infructuous. However, there are some tribes that have yet to take sides, and our aim is to dissuade them to either aid us or – if they are unwilling to take our side – convince them not to take part in the conflict at all," said Kingsley.

"Then who is meeting the next tribe of giants?" Moody asked.

"We feel it is still best to send Hagrid," Dumbledore replied. "There will be some risk involved for him, but there is danger further still for full human Order members, meeting giants. Olympe Maxime has refused to accompany him once again, hence I am forced to ask for volunteers to create a perimeter, and keep out any Death Eaters attempting their own recruitment drive."

Barely a second had passed before Moody spoke up, "I'll go."

"Me too," Kingsley joined in.

"I will go as well," Remus nodded.

"And me," Tonks piped up. There was a moment of silence.

"I know it is a lot to ask, but is there anyone else who wishes to join this party?" Albus asked.

"I'll go, too," C.C. offered, raising her hand.

"Then count me in," Niles spoke up, taking her hand.

A thick, unpleasant silence suddenly swelled in the room. A few members of the Order exchanged looks, as though silently asking one another who'd voice what everyone but the Brightmore's knew. Both Niles and C.C.'s tensed as the void of unsettling silence extended for what felt like hours. The situation reminded Niles of the moment before a falling glass shatters on the floor.

"Mr. Brightmore," Minerva finally spoke up, her tone unusually soft and measured. "We appreciate you volunteering, but we must insist on you not taking part in this mission. Although Alastor has said your progress in training is remarkable, you are not yet prepared to fight Death Eaters or take part in a dangerous mission such as this one."

"What?!" the butler bellowed, looking between his former teacher and Alastor. "You expect me to sit here while my wife is out there venturing into giant tribes?! While she could be targeted by Death Eaters?! While she is putting her life at risk?! I thought I was part of the Order!" Niles voice became progressively louder as he spoke, his anger ablaze in his blue eyes.

"And you are!" Remus quickly interjected, placing a calming hand on one of Niles' shoulders. "But sending you in this mission could potentially jeopardize it, not to mention the risk it represents for your life!"

Niles scoffed, "So you can put your lives at stake and I can't? That's rubbish!"

"It's not the same, and you know it," C.C. said quietly, putting a hand on his thigh. She had remained oddly quiet until then, mostly because she was still thanking her lucky star for Niles not being allowed to take part in the mission. She hadn't wanted him to come along for – just as Minerva had said – even if he had improved his duelling skills, he still was not ready to go into this mission. She had fought a war before, she had a lot more experience than her husband had, and her experience told her that Niles – a middle aged butler who had begun duelling only months ago after years of not truly making use of his powers – shouldn't go. "Niles, I've fought before and I-"

"And you were in the brink of death once!" Niles yelled, slamming his fist against the table. His outburst started the whole Order – with the exception of both Albus and Severus, naturally – and once again silence settled in the room. Everyone watched with attention as the two spouses stared intently at one another, engaged in a wordless argument. Her eyes denoted both anger and firmness, while his – although angry – held a plea, too. He was the one who casted his eyes away first, a deep hurt darkening those beautiful sky-blue eyes of his; she reached out for him and laced their ringed hands together.

"Niles, look at me," she said, but he kept his gaze down. She heaved a sigh and repeated more forcefully, "I said look at me!"

Her firm command had an effect on him, for he begrudgingly looked into her eyes once again, hinting that – at least for that moment – he was willing to listen. "Niles, I know you are angry and I know that you want to fight, but you going on this mission would be foolish. You are not ready, while I, on the other hand, have done this before. You'll just have to trust me on this one and stay behind," she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll have excellent wizards by my side, and nothing wrong will happen to me. At most we'll be gone for a month or so."

Niles sat back in his chair, letting out an unbelieving huff. "A month? You will be gone for a month, and you don't expect me to worry about you? Or wish I had gone with you?"

"I'd be worried if you didn't, but there won't be anything for you to worry about!" C.C. reassured. "At most, we'll be spending a month in the woods, getting wet feet and waiting for Hagrid to come back to tell us how the day's negotiations went."

Niles sighed. He knew there was no way he was going to change her mind on this. Any attempt would probably just end in a huge fight, and as they were surrounded by other Order members, he didn't want to start that. He could tell she was set on what she was going to do, anyway, and there was nothing he could do but support her. She was right, anyway – he had every right to be concerned, but she knew what she was doing. He should try having some faith in her, in something like this.

"...Alright," he eventually conceded. "Fine," They'd probably still end up talking about it later anyway, but for now, he'd given his agreement.

"When do we leave?" Remus asked, turning his gaze from his friends, towards Albus.

"Two weeks from this day," the headmaster replied. "Please take adequate time to prepare yourselves, until then."

They continued to plan for the negotiations, including the gifts that would be brought to the chieftain of the giant tribe, as well as meeting places and scouting out locations on arrival. Once that planning was done, more Order business was discussed, and eventually the meeting was adjourned. The members filed out of Dumbledore's office, each aware of what they had to do. Except one, who was not quite sure what he was going to do with himself whilst his new wife was away for a month.

* * *

As soon as the pair Apparated back to their penthouse, they parted ways – C.C. locked herself in her study, while Niles worked around the house, trying to forget about the dreadful meeting that he just had attended to. But his efforts were fruitless… he was far too angry – no, scratch that, he wasn't angry, he was furious! He had joined the Order to protect her and now that they had just gotten married she was to leave for, at least, a month?! In his mind it was not fair…

He'd trained hard, he'd allowed both Moody and his wife to shoot spells at him for hours so he could be by her side and yet he wasn't allowed to do so! Deep down he knew the Order was right, he was not ready – after all, C.C. could still knock him flat on his back with barely any effort if she wanted to. What would happen if he faced a Death Eater? Chances were he wasn't going to come out of it victorious, even if he tried his best. At least not for now.

But he was so scared… so terrified of something happening to her while she was out there, without him. They had just found one another, and now she had to go? It all felt like some awfully bad cosmic joke.

Niles stopped dusting and sighed. The atmosphere in the penthouse was horrible; they had practically fled from one another and now they were ignoring an enormous elephant in the room. Did he want that? Did he really want this disagreement to turn into a fight? He loved her, and although he was still very much against the Order's decision, he was not going to waste precious time with his wife by being angry at things he had no control of.

Having made up his mind, he tossed the duster on the coffee table and headed towards her study. As he opened the door, he found her sprawled over her couch – the one she had placed just before an enormous window. He could see the beauty of New York through it; the many buildings surrounding theirs, the incandescent lights and the distant outline of the Statue of Liberty. It was no wonder why his wife had chosen to sit before that wonderful view when she was upset. Niles suddenly felt like an intruder, like he should wait for her to want to see him. Knowing his wife, she needed her space, but as he was preparing to retreat back into the living room she spoke up.

"Niles, I know you are there, come in. I think we should talk about this," the producer sat up, and patted the seat next to her. He took it, not looking at his wife as he made himself as comfortable as he could, given the circumstances. She waited for him to start speaking.

"I still don't like this idea," it wasn't much of an admission. Anybody paying even the slightest bit of attention could see that.

C.C.'s expression hadn't changed, "I don't expect you to like it, Niles. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I don't actually like the idea either! But I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. If we can get powerful allies on our side, the war could be over sooner, and the sooner the war is over, the sooner we can have a normal life!" she sighed, her face softening, and she took his hand in hers, "Do you see where I'm coming from, here?"

Niles sighed, too, and looked down at the floor. Rationally speaking, he understood why she had to go while he had to stay. He did understand that the faster the order moved, the faster the war would end; but this was not a matter of rationality, it was a matter of the heart. How could he live when she was God knows where trying to convince giants of all creatures to join their cause? The last time Hagrid had gone to the giant tribes things hadn't ended well, and he was afraid something similar happened this time, too. Besides, they had an upcoming wedding to look forward to! They were supposed to be happy and planning everything, not being separated.

"I do understand," he finally admitted. "But it scares me. I am terrified of something happening to you and never seeing you again. And the thought of you… of us being… I can't ... I just can't," he trailed off dropping his head, his altered emotions getting the best of him.

C.C. cupped his cheeks in her hands and forced him to look at her. She then placed a kiss on his lips and rested her forehead against his. "Niles, nothing will happen to me. This is war, lover, and it's only going to get worse. I told you, I know what we are facing, I've already fought a war before. Missions like this are a necessary evil, and the best for both the Order and you is that you stay here. I know you don't like it, but as I said a few hours ago, you need to trust the Order – to trust me."

Niles wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and pulled her to him. He knew, and he trusted her… but he was human, and fear was enveloping him like tendrils. They had been at odds for over a decade, lovers for almost a year and spouses for barely days – week by the time she had to leave. The fear of losing her, losing the beautiful life they were sharing together, was suffocating him, and not being able to take care of her only made it worse. But, as much as he loathed to say so, they couldn't do anything about it; she was right, this was war, this was the heartbreak it entailed, but they had to keep going if they wanted to end the evil that lurked in the shadows once and for all.

"I am going to miss you," he confessed in a whisper, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. Her perfume soon crept into his nostrils, enveloping him in a warm sense of contentedness that was only enhanced by the feeling of her warm body close to his. She was there, right then she was there, with him.

"I know," she replied just as softly, threading her fingers through his sandy hair. "I'll miss you, too, but I'll be back before you know it," the producer made a pause, an idea surfacing in her mind. She smiled to herself – it would be a perfect way to distract him while she was gone! "Besides, you could spend the month planning the wedding. After all, we don't have much time left and I am sure Nanny Fine will be more than happy to help."

Niles thought what either of them had said over. Yes, he couldn't possibly live up to his promise to protect her if he let her go, but what about the promises that he had made by marrying her – to trust her, and respect her wishes? She knew what she was doing, he had to have faith in her in that regard. And if he kept himself busy enough, with planning the wedding, and work at the Sheffield mansion, it just might take his mind off the distance and the danger. The latter element, he reminded himself, was only a possibility, not a definite. They were only there in case of Death Eaters, not because the other side was going to be there.

Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as his imagination had already conjured up.

Niles released a long sigh, and covered one of her hands with his, "Alright. But promise me you'll try to contact me every once in a while, ok?"

C.C. was about to say no, that a Patronus could give away the location of their future hideout and, in consequence, the safety of the mission would be jeopardised. But looking into his worried eyes, she hesitated. She couldn't deny him this, not when he was already accepting staying behind. "I promise," C.C. eventually agreed.

And for the first time in the last hours, he smiled. Albeit a small smile, but it was an better than nothing. She returned the smile before planting a small kiss on his lips, glad that they had reached an agreement that 'suited' them both. The tender moment, however, was interrupted by the loud growling of her stomach.

"Do you want me to whip something up?" Niles asked, disentangling himself from his wife.

The producer shook his head no. "I have a better idea. What do you say if we go out for dinner? After all, we got married yesterday."

"If it's what you want, then we'll do it," he replied, still a little crestfallen.

"Thank you, lover," C.C. stood up, and offered her hand to him. "Let's get a shower and then we can go."

Niles arched an amused eyebrow at her "Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?"

"I wasn't suggesting we go one at a time, that's for sure," she pulled him to his feet and began to head towards the bathroom. "I should show you how much I love you as much as I can before I have to go."

Niles' stomach regained that sinking feeling as she mentioned her having to leave. But he knew she was trying her best to soften the blow. He then realised that particular phrase might have been something of an understatement, as she led him into the bathroom, pulled him to her and began to kiss him. As the kisses grew deeper and more passionate, C.C. pulled away – eliciting a groan from her husband – in order to turn on the shower, and the pair slowly undressed each other, before stepping under the water.

* * *

 **AN: Here you go! We thank you for reading this story and for reviewing :) Until the next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

**_Chapter 15_**

 ** _Into the wilderness_**

Truth to be told, a lot can happen in a fortnight.

During the days that had followed the Order's meeting, both Niles and C.C. had centred their attention in the preparations for the mission. The couple had briefly Apparated to Diagon Alley in order to get some supplies, new travelling robes for C.C., and to join their Gringotts' vaults.

Maxwell and Fran were soon put abreast of the new developments – and although the latter was more than displeased with his business partner having to leave for an extended period of time – he hadn't complained Their Muggle friends knew that it was bound to happen, Niles and C.C. had warned them that, while Voldemort continued to gain power, they'd be required to take action on the matter.

Training had been pretty much the only thing they did during daytime – Moody was not about to let Niles off the hook just because his wife was to embark on a mission! Both C.C. and Moody had planned Niles' training to the last detail, making sure to cover most of the spells that could come in use during a battle, and they couldn't afford to lose a day of training if they wanted to follow it to the letter. The butler wasn't particularly fond of being bossed around and hexed by both his wife and his mentor, but if he wanted to take part on the next mission – not to mention, on the war in itself – he had to train.

The rare moments when they had actually been able to relax, the couple chose spent their time together, trying to make good use often the time they had left together until she had to go. They had made a habit of cuddling in bed at night until they fell asleep, but there had been nights where sleep had eluded them; the knowledge that they'd soon be separated was more than enough to keep them awake at night, but luckily for them, they'd fought the fear by holding each other close, relishing on the fact that the dreaded moment of her departure had not come just yet.

But eventually – and much faster than either of them would have liked it – the night before the mission began finally arrived. The blonde witch had spent the day packing, going over the many things that she was to take in order to subsist during the duration of the mission. Seeing as they were going to spend a month in the mountains, C.C. had made extra sure to pack sufficient warm robes and cloaks. The list of things she had to take had seemed unending, but eventually she had managed to cross every item in it. Being the obsessive woman she was, however, C.C. found herself going over her luggage for the third time that night, rechecking if she was truly ready.

"Damn it," the producer hissed, rummaging through her small potions cabinet. "Where in the hell did I put that bezoar?"

She was talking mostly to herself, but Niles – who had just gotten into the room carrying a tray laden with their dinner – overheard his wife. He had offered to help her pack, but she had refused; Babcock had her own plan for everything, and couldn't really be disturbed when she was going through it all. He observed her scrambling for her wand and, after heaving an exasperated sigh, she swiftly summoned the elusive bezoar – which she then stored inside her luggage, in its proper place.

"Everything going okay, love?" he asked, making his presence known to his wife.

"I think so," the producer replied, running her hand through her hair in a sign of her frustration. "I mean, I know I've got everything, but it's just that I kinda need rechecking that I've got everything, you know?"

Niles placed the tray on one of the nightstands and walked to C.C.. She was biting her lower lip, and her arms were folded across her chest. Her manicured nails were digging into the delicate skin of her forearm, and he knew they'd leave a mark. Her whole body language screamed that she was not entirely ok, and Niles wasn't about to ignore her distress. Although neither of them was feeling particularly cheerful that evening, the butler had noticed throughout the day how his wife became progressively upset, and not precisely because of a misplaced bezoar. She was surely experiencing an inner turmoil – one that she refused to acknowledge thanks to years of having bottled up her emotions.

"I brought you dinner," he informed her, pulling his tense wife into his embrace. She accepted the contact, and rested her head on his shoulder while lacing her own arms around his middle. He stroked her back, trying to soothe her, and used his other hand to hold her head against him.

"Do you want to talk about something with me, Babcock?" he asked in a soft voice, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head.

"No..." she said far too quickly for Niles' taste and purposely avoided his gaze. She didn't want him to know just how affected she was, she didn't want to make him worried – he already had enough reasons to be worried about.

Niles released a long sigh before planting another soft kiss, only this time it was on her temple. "C.C..." Niles started in a tired voice. "Please tell me what's going on, sweetheart."

As the silence between them stretched, the butler could almost hear her internal monologue; she surely was debating herself if she should talk, probably fearing that her words would upset him. He waited for her to speak, but as it became evident that keeping up the pretence she was fine would surely be her course of action, Niles pulled away from his wife so he could look into her eyes.

"Love, you know you can-"

"Don't!" she cut him off. There was a strain on her voice, one that appeared only in times of emotional stress. "... don't begin with one of your sappy speeches of trust. I've heard enough of them already," she trailed off, resting her forehead against his. Her grip on him became vice-like. "I am scared, alright? And I am going to miss you," the last part of her confession was said in an almost shy voice. Never before she had admitted needing someone, but he was different...

"You don't have to feel embarrassed about that, you know," Niles smiled, tucking two fingers under her chin to gently bring her eyes to meet his own. "I'm going to miss you, too. It's only natural, and it's going to be hard not having you around to make my day more interesting."

C.C. smiled, and then brought her hand up to grip his fingers in hers, the smile gone again, "I appreciate the effort, Butler Boy, but I'm trying to be serious, because this might be the most terrifying thing I've ever done. I know, I've done it before, but I've never had so much to lose. Not until you."

"And I'm trying to make you feel less afraid," her husband replied, his voice equally serious. "I am your husband, it's one of the things I'm supposed to do. One of the other things I'm supposed to do is stay by your side, no matter what. And that's what I'm doing. I've said it before and I'll say it a hundred times over if I have to; you won't lose absolutely everything you have, because no matter what, you still have me. You are a strong, powerful witch, and this is routine for you, and when it's finished, I'll be right here when you get back."

C.C. didn't know whether to cry or smile. What had she done to deserve such a wonderful husband? How could he know what to say to make her feel better? He was right, he made her feel less afraid, when he was by her side she felt almost invincible... However, her greatest strength was her greatest weakness, too. The mere thought of something happening to him was enough to make her blood run cold, hence her being reluctant of allowing him into the battlefield alongside her. She depended on him, she needed him, and as such she had made sure to take all the necessary precautions to ensure his safety.

C.C. knew the mission she was about embark in was fairly dangerous, but – just like her husband said – she had done it several times before. She had faced deadlier situations and enemies and she had always came out on top. Rationally speaking, she knew this should be a piece of cake for her, but having something to lose increased her fears and insecurities.

She had let him in little by little, and even if there were doors she still refused to open, he was the person who knew her better than anyone. He knew how to handle her ornery personality, calm her down when she was nervous or angry, console her when she was sad and, most of all, he seemed to know how to make her happy.

Happiness had been a foreign emotion for her since Sirius was locked up in Azkaban up until she had started dating Niles. But even if she had been unhappy for the most part of her adult life, he had always managed to bring a smile to her face with his catty comments and witty retorts, even when they had been enemies. Now that they were a couple, her happiness depended on him, it was intrinsically connected to him, and in some way it made her feel vulnerable. On the other hand, he made her feel like she belonged somewhere – now, for the blonde producer, home meant Niles, home meant being safely hidden in his arms.

"I love you," she managed to choke out, before hiding her face on his chest. There were a few tears falling down her eyes, and she was fairly embarrassed by the sudden display of emotion. She had to control herself... she had to - wait...

No, she didn't have to control herself! He was her husband, and as he'd just said, he was there for her. So she let go, and allowed herself to cry without trying to hide her sadness from him.

Niles wrapped his arms protectively around his wife, and allowed her cry. It was better if she let all of her sadness out, rather than keeping it bottled up inside. He stroked her hair, and made soothing noises, reassuring her that he was there, that he loved her too, and that she could take as long as she needed to get everything out. He punctuated this statement by kissing the top of her head, and resting his cheek there.

C.C.'s crying faded to sobs, to uneven, hitched breathing, and finally to normal breaths once more. She made no attempt to move, though. Right here was where she felt everything was right. It was almost like there wasn't a war about to happen in front of their eyes. If only they could both stay there, hidden in each other's arms, maybe things would be okay. But she knew that wasn't true. The only way to ensure things would be okay was to go out and make them okay herself. "Story of my life," she thought bitterly.

"Are you feeling any better?" Niles' question brought her out of it, and he pulled back to look her in the face. One hand was on her shoulder, the other was on her cheek, his thumb wiping away the last stray tears.

She gave a faint nod, and kissed his cheek "Yes, I am feeling better. Thank you."

The pair drifted into a comfortable silence, and both Brightmores remained wrapped in each other's arms, relishing on being together. Light kisses and caresses were exchanged, and for a long time the thoughts of her impending departure were forgotten.

"Help me finish packing," she spoke after glancing at the clock, effectively breaking the pleasant silence that had settled in the room. Although he couldn't go with her, she could at least allow him to help. "After all, who better than a maid to help me pack?" the blonde teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled quietly to himself before he feigned to scowl in exasperation. "Of course dear, I know that people your age tend to forget things, so it's better if I check that you have everything you'll need in your luggage."

"That was weak," she retorted, pulling away from him.

"I know, love. I let you have that one, seeing as you are leaving..." his stomach clenched again at the thought, but he forced himself out of it and walked to her closet "Have you packed enough travel robes? And what about warm clothes?"

"Relax, mother hen, I've packed enough clothes for a three month stay. Gee Niles, I thought I married a man, not a mother."

"Forgive me for making sure you're going to be comfortable," Niles followed her to her cases. "I know that people your age are susceptible to chills, after all."

"You've already made an old age joke, Hazel," C.C. sneered. "Finally exhausted your repertoire?"

"Never, Babs," C.C. stuck him a mock glare at the mention of her nickname, and together they knelt beside the cases. Niles looked at everything she'd packed so far. "Now, what do you need my help with checking?"

"I have a list here, somewhere..." his wife fumbled around in her robe, until she found a folded piece of paper. "Here! I need you to read this off to me, and I'll check if it's in the suitcase. Can you do that?"

"Sir, yes , sir!" Niles took the list from her hand and unfolded the parchment. He went through it item by item, while C.C. looked for them inside the suitcases.

" I knew I was still missing something!" the witch declared triumphantly as she read the two items in the list her husband hadn't scratched. " I need to get the bandages and a bottle of alcohol."

"Planning on drinking it by yourself?" he smirked at her. "Now that would be amusing! A drunk C.C. Babcock wandering the mountains. If a poor Muggle sees you he'll think you are Bigfoot."

"I'm talking about sterilising alcohol. You know; that stuff you sometimes use to clean your boss' toilets if you're out of bleach?" his wife shot back, starting to snigger to herself.

"Ha ha," Niles replied sardonically. "Just remember, I don't have to be helping you with this."

Stifling her giggles, C.C. waved a hand, "You're right, I'm sorry. Do we have any sterilising alcohol?"

"Medicine cabinet, top shelf, in a glass bottle. If you want, I can go and get it," the butler offered, preparing to stand up. His wife put a hand on his shoulder.

Niles gasped dramatically and draped an arm over his chest "Did I hear correctly?! You said I was right, apologised and now you turn down my offer to go and get what you need?" he stepped away from her and pointed his wand at her. "Who are you and what have you done to my wife?"

" On a second thought, Hazel, you can go and get it." she folded her arms over her chest and feigned annoyance.

"Duel you for it," he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

"I'd crush you," C.C. replied. "And you know it."

"You never know: I could strike lucky," her husband shrugged. "After all, David brought down Goliath with a stone in a sling. And, like you, the fallen giant had a significant weight advantage."

"Just go get the alcohol," the producer waved a hand dismissively, calling out to him as he fake-reluctantly headed for the bathroom. "And bring the bandages, too!"

"Anything you say, dear," Niles smiled to himself as he left. He'd miss this, whilst C.C. was away. Trying to exchange banter with the members of the Sheffield household wasn't the same. Their humour wasn't the same.

He found the alcohol, and the bandages, and returned them to C.C..

"You took your time," his wife smirked. "Did you forget yourself and get lost on your way back?"

"I thought you decided old jokes weren't funny?" Niles put the medical supplies in her case, retaking his place next to her.

"They are, when they're directed at you," she shrugged, before smiling at him and leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks for being so good about this."

"Anything for you, Babs," Niles wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.

"Now don't get all mushy on me," she chastised him, but at the same time draping her own arms around him.

Niles chuckled lightly, dropping a trail of kisses on her neck. She moaned whenever his soft lips made contact with her skin, and she almost lost it when he nibbled on her earlobe.

"If you keep that up we are going to end up in bed," she crooned, threading her fingers through his sandy hair.

"And who said that wasn't my aim?" he almost growled, laying her down on the floor. "Besides, I doubt we'll make it to the bed."

"Perverted old man."

"But you love me just the same," he murmured to her ear, before continuing his assault on her neck.

C.C. smiled as a comforting warmth spread through her chest. "Yes I do, so very much."

* * *

The following morning, C.C. woke up cuddled against her husband on the floor. They were snuggled under a warm blanket Niles had conjured shortly after their intense love making session was over. Neither of them had had the strength to move to their bed. The producer looked at her still sleeping husband and smirked; she'd have never thought that, underneath that stuffy British butler appearance, lay a skilful lover who was capable of taking her to the peak of ecstasy and back. Just as in life, he was a disinterested lover; he was happy to give, and her pleasure became his.

She reached out and traced the outline of his jaw with her fingertips; he smiled in his sleep when her fingers made contact with his skin, and he only pulled her closer to him, as though that could prevent her from slipping out of his embrace.

Not that she wanted to, she was far too happy in his arms to want to leave. And speaking of that, the blonde meekly glanced at the clock on her nightstand, so as to have an idea of how much time she had until having to get out of bed – or well, get up of the floor.

However, the plans of relaxing in her husband's embrace flopped as soon as her bleary eyes caught the time displayed on the clock. She gasped audibly and kicked the blanket aside, waking Niles up.

"Holy crap, I'm nearly late!" she struggled out from underneath the cover and began to throw on clothes, leaving a still-groggy Niles blinking at her from his position on the floor. As his mind came around to the idea that his wife was, in fact, leaving for a month or so in any minute, he scrambled to his feet, pulled on his own robes, and began to follow her as she went back and forth between her cases, checking on everything.

"Now, I've got everything, including my broomstick," C.C. was again talking only to herself at this point. "If I leave right now, I'll probably make it..."

She snatched up her wand, but Niles gently laid his hand on her arm.

"Can't we at least have breakfast first?" his tone was almost pleading. One last breakfast before not seeing her for so long couldn't possibly be too much to ask, could it?

His wife sighed, her eyes sorrowful, "I'm sorry, Niles, but I have to go right now. I'll get something from the supplies, when I meet the others."

"But C.C., could we at least have a cup of coffee?" he pleaded, failing to hide all the hurt in his voice.

"I am sorry lover, but I have no time. We're supposed to leave in fifteen minutes, I can't delay my departure any longer," she pulled him in for a long kiss, both trying to savour it as much as they could. She cupped his cheeks with her hands, while his hands rested on the small of her back. He was holding her to him, not wanting to let her go... When they broke their kiss, Niles rested his forehead against hers, and pressed his eyes shut, forcing himself not to cry.

"I am going to miss you," he whispered, brushing a hand up and down her spine. They shared another kiss, as though trying to burn the feeling of each other's lips on their memory.

"Me too, but now I really have to go," her voice was soothing, like a caress to his soul. He tried to memorise the sound of it, for he knew it would be quite some time before he heard it again.

The butler reluctantly let her go, and observed her put all her cases inside a little bag (conveniently enchanted with the undetectable extension charm). She delved into her pocket for her wand and gave him one quick peck on his lips.

"Goodbye, lover. See you soon, and I love you!"

He hoped she caught the "I love you, too", before she disappeared.

He tried to go about his morning routine without her, but everything felt off, and there was no enthusiasm behind anything he did. It was like there was a vacuum in the place, and everything jouful was bring sucked into it before disappearing forever. He wondered if this was how it felt to get attacked by a Dementor. He had no idea how he was going to survive a month of this feeling, if he couldn't even last a whole bloody hour.

After putting away the dishes he'd cleaned post-breakfast, he took himself to the Sheffield mansion. The butler couldn't even bring himself to Apparate, not in the mood he was currently in, so he walked. The day was overcast, but it wasn't raining, and being surrounded by people on the streets and the distracting sights and sounds cleared his head a little of the loneliness he'd felt walking around the empty penthouse. It gave his mind enough room to consider C.C.'s suggestion of getting Maxwell and Fran to help him plan the wedding. It would need to be done as soon as possible, after all.

As he reached the door, his mind was already immersed in planning the wedding. He had to design the invitations, enchant port-keys to take their muggle friends to the chapel in Britain and subsequently to Hogwarts. He had to buy a tux, plan the menu... Yes, the wedding was going to be a great distraction, and perhaps, just perhaps, he'd allow himself to really believe things would be alright.

* * *

"Look who's finally decided to grace us with her presence!" Alastor barked at C.C. , who had just Apparated to the meeting point the Order had agreed. "You certainly took your time, your highness!"

"Don't fret Alastor, we are still on time," Remus tried to help his friend, and put a hand on the auror's shoulder.

"Don't fret?! We are about to embark on a mission and she's late because she's snogging her husband!"

"I was not "snogging" anybody, Alastor!" C.C. huffed, both defensive and annoyed that he'd worked out what she'd been doing. "I happened to oversleep! I left as soon as I realised - I haven't even had breakfast yet!"

"There's probably something going spare in the supplies," Remus rummaged around in the bag, pulling out an apple and a small bag of dried nuts. "It's not much, but-"

"It'll be fine, thank you, Remus," the producer cut her friend off, and took the proffered food. "So, when do we leave?"

Moody lumbered to the front of the group, his lips set in a grim line "Now. We are leaving now. There is no use in losing any more time. Is everybody ready?" the auror asked, scrutinising the crowd with his blue eye.

There was a general nod, and all the members proceeded to take out their wands, and Disapparated at Moody's command. C.C. wasn't surprised when she was the last one who was ordered to Disapparate, Moody had made her wait, just like she had made the rest of the Order wait for her.

The moment her feet touched the ground after apparating, the witch found herself in the middle of a thick forest. She could barely see the sky through the tree branches, and the foliage was so thick sunlight wasn't able to penetrate it. There was am eerie silence floating around them, and the temperature had decreased considerably. C.C. immediately regretted putting her thin thread robes on, for they were not nearly enough to shield her from the cold wind. She took a thicker coat from her bag and wrapped it around her frail body.

"Ok, listen everybody, we are a two hour walk away from the nearest giant tribe, so we'll need to cross this forest and find a good site to camp. Preferably it has to be near a clean source of water," said Alastor, grsturing ahead with his staff.

The gathered members signalled their agreement, and as a group, they began to head east. This would be towards the mountains they knew the giant tribes tended to favour. C.C. distracted herself from the cold that was beginning to bite by falling in line with Lupin, and the two got to talking.

"I suppose you and Niles talked things over?' her friend asked. He didn't mean anything bad by what he'd said - the producer knew he was only checking that everything was fine after the meeting the other week, but the mention of her husband caused a frown to appear on her face. It could only have been three hours at the most, and yet she felt like she hadn't seen him in a month already! How was she going to feel after an actual month?!

The werewolf misread her face, and his smile dropped, "Oh. C.C., I didn't mean-"

"Oh, no, no!" she corrected him, realising her expression must have given him the wrong impression. A sly voice in her head thought about how that wouldn't be the first time. She gestured with her hands as she explained. "Everything's fine! We talked it all over; and we agreed that it would be difficult, but we'd manage. And we'll see each other again when I get back, it's not like I'm going away forever..."

Lupin had a feeling she was talking more to herself than to him, and had tried to reassure the separation from her husband wasn't permanent. He draped an arm around her shoulders, and rubbed his hand up and down her arms, warming her cold limbs. "Merlin's beard C.C.! You are freezing! Didn't you think about wearing warmer clothes?"

"Remus, I left minutes after I woke up, I didn't have time to think about my attire."

"But you had time to snog Niles..." he shot back, a cheeky grin creeping to his lips.

"For Christ sake, I wasn't snogging, What makes you think I'd-"

"Babs," he cut her off, his grin having gotten wider. His friend was flushed and avoided looking at him in the eyes, two clear signals that she was lying "I know you far too well, don't lie to me."

"Fine! Fine..." she barked, folding her arms over her chest and conceding defeat. "I was snogging all right."

"See? Admitting the truth was not so bad! And I don't blame for your tardiness either, lazy mornings in bed-"

"We weren't in bed," she stated, matter of factly.

"Babs, you just said you woke up moments befo-"

"We were "snogging", all right, but we weren't on the bed..." she leaned closer to her friend, barely containing a smug grin "We were on the floor."

Lupin raised an eyebrow, "C.C. Babcock, you truly are the most incorrigible person I know! Even at school, you always looked for the biggest thrill that you could find in a moment, and it seems you're continuing in fine tradition!"

"Yes, but the rest of us would rather not hear about any thrills Miss Babcock has been having!" Moody snapped at them over his shoulder. His magical eye scanned the forest around them, and he made a noise at the back of his throat. "There's a clearing not too far ahead, and there's a stream right by it. We should check it, see if it suits our purpose."

The older Auror marched ahead, and C.C. and Remus exchanged amused glances. Perhaps it was best to behave themes themselves more, now. After all, they'd have to get to work soon. They followed the other Order members to where Moody had started heading, and eventually all of them met back in their group.

"Not a bad size..." Moody muttered thoughtfully, his eye swivelling. "No other signs of life...This will do it."

He addressed the group, pointing to different members as he began to command them, "We'll make camp here. You two, Babcock and Lupin, go put up the protective enchantments. Set up a perimeter just past the last of those trees. And stay out of trouble, the pair of you! If you see giants, keep low, and out of the way."

They didn't hear who Moody ordered to do what next, C.C. and Lupin were already off to complete their task.

Both Lupin and the producer began walking in a wide circle around the group, with their wands raised as they muttered incantations.

The clearing was nice, and it had an incredible view. Now that there were no trees preventing the sun to get to them, the atmosphere was considerably warmer. It was an ideal location to make a picnic, she thought, pity they were there for an entirely different reason.

"Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Protego Totalum, Protego Horribilis, Cave Inimicum..." she whispered, and observed how her spells combined with Lupin's created an invisible wall around them. How she wished she could put all her loved one inside this wall, and protect them from all evil until the war was over...

She was doing that, in a way, she reminded herself, she was fighting for them.

Once all the members had completed their tasks – which included gathering wood, water, food, and checking the surroundings – they gathered around the little bonfire Kingsley had set up, ready to hear Alastor's instructions.

"Listen up, Hagrid will have his first meeting with the giants tomorrow, and we've decided three members of the order will escort him to the tribe. You mustn't enter their village, but you must remain outside and alert in case there is an attack," Moody's powerful voice resounded through the clearing, and his eyes was scanning the faces of his fellow order members as he spoke, "Kingsley, Tonks and me will accompany Hagrid tomorrow, but we'll rotate. We'll also take turns to sleep – Lupin and Babcock will take the first guard."

The day slowly faded away into night, and after a small dinner had been cooked, eaten, and cleaned up after, it was time for the friends to take their watch. The fire was warm, but they had to stand away from it in order to let the other Order members sleep around it under makeshift shelters and open tents. All sorts of noises echoed in the night, but nothing was actually coming near, and the two Marauders took to chatting quietly, as they had been when they arrived.

But all throughout, C.C. didn't seem to be paying attention to either their talk, or the watch. Her eyes were fixed on the fire. Lupin frowned.

"You're thinking about Niles, aren't you?"

Her husband's name brought her out of the thousand-yard stare, and she sighed, "...Yes, I am. I was just wondering how he was, and what he was doing, and how his day has been going, and chastising myself for not focusing when I know he's fine!"

"That's the trouble with being in love, C.C.," Remus' own stare travelled to Tonks' tent "It makes us think more about that person – even if we have no need to – than about things we should be thinking about. But it makes us happy, so I think the pros outweigh the cons, wouldn't you say?"

The producer leaned back against a tree, smiling as she thought about how happy Niles had made her. The thought was warming in the absence of the fire. "Yeah, I guess they do..."

She wondered what her Butler Boy was doing right that instant and she hoped he was thinking about her, too.

* * *

 **AN: Well, we hope you enjoy his chapter! We'd appreciate reviews, they are a much needed feedback and make us incredibly happy :)**

 **H &L**


	16. Chapter 16

**_Chapter 16_**

 ** _Recklessness_**

"Miss Fine this is hideous!" Niles cried, staring in horror at the picture Fran was holding. "You can't possibly suggest that... monstrosity as a wedding cake!"

Fran pouted, visibly offended by her friend's comment. The cake was beautiful, all eight floors of it. "Oy, come on Scarecrow, you've turned down every idea I've had up to now!"

"That's because they are all terrible!" The butler huffed, folding his arms across his chest. He was in an awful mood; his wife was gone, he had had a long day at work, and now he had to endure Fran's incessant blabbering. He knew she had good intentions, but let's just say their tastes weren't very much alike. "I told you we want something simple and sober."

"But this is sober!" Fran retorted, signalling at the picture of a golden wedding cake.

Niles pinched the bridge of his nose, taking calming breaths so as not to snap at the nanny. The poor woman had no idea he was at the edge of his patience, and had been trying her best to cheer him up. Knowing C.C. had been gone for a week now, Fran had waited for him with a pint of Ben & Jerry's for each of them, and she had even helped folding the laundry before she'd suggested they began planning the wedding. Niles had been reluctant of the idea, but he couldn't delay it any longer – after all, the ceremony was in little over a month!

"Scarecrow, I need you to work with me here! At the rate we are going, C.C. will be back and we won't have anything ready."

"I know Miss Fine, it's just... it's not a good day and frankly if I see another wedding catalog I'll scream. Could we possibly continue this tomorrow?" his voice sounded more like a plea than a request.

Fran circled the kitchen counter and embraced her friend. She could see he was not ok, but he stubbornly hid his sadness from her. Well, she wouldn't let him do that, she was determined to help him until his witch came back.

"You miss her already, don't you?" She asserted more than asked.

Niles didn't reply verbally. What needed to be said when his friend had summed it up so perfectly? Instead, he nodded his head against her shoulder, and Fran rubbed his back soothingly. The nanny might not have been aces at picking tasteful wedding decorations, but she knew what she was doing when it came to looking after people.

"We can take a little break for a couple of hours, but we must pick a few things today, okay?" she suggested gently. "Nothing big, but maybe the flowers and some other small stuff?"

Niles pulled away from her, a tired and upset look on his face. He wanted – no, needed – to rest, and he wasn't sure how he felt about doing as she'd asked. Fran put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them, and cocking her head to one side.

"Come on, Niles!" she was very close to whining. "If you won't do it for me, then would you please do it for C.C.? You'd follow her across countries, could you possibly consider looking at one more flower display or China pattern for her, too?"

Niles hesitated, but the almost eager look on Fran's face and the mention of his wife sealed the deal. The butler took his own hands to his friend's shoulders and sighed, while flashing a little forced smile.

"Alright, we can choose the flowers and the china, but that's it."

The smile on the nanny's face morphed into a beam of satisfaction. She was keeping him distracted, and that's what was important. "That's my friend! So, lets talk about the flowers! I was thinking perhaps on using white roses and-

"Lilies. I want lilies," Niles interrupted her, a dreamy smile crossing his face. Fran was almost shocked by his immediate decision – only minutes ago he couldn't bring himself to make up his mind about anything.

"Oy, that was fast! Why lilies?"

"They are her favourite flower," he stated, walking to the kitchen table, beckoning Fran to follow him. The nanny lost no time, and soon enough the pair began to work.

After an hour or planning, the previously blank notebook, was now scribbled with tons of ideas, and somehow they had reached an agreement about the flowers. They settled for the flower arrangements to be composed by lilies and white and red roses. C.C.'s bouquet was going to have lilies, honeysuckle, jasmines and hyacinth. Each of the flowers Niles chose, had a certain meaning: Jasmines represented sweet love, hyacinth represented consistency of love and fertility, honeysuckle represented bonds of love, and finally, lilies symbolised both nurturing and fertility, and a long lasting relationship.

They moved on to the china, and luckily, Niles gave his approval to Fran's suggestion almost without protest. He had to admit it was sober and tasteful, he couldn't really complain. By the time they had finished it was almost nine o' clock, so Niles proceeded to conjure dinner (frankly he was far too tired to cook a meal the Muggle way), bid farewell to the family and then disapparated.

The moment he landed into his home, a heavy feeling of loneliness latched to his heart. The house was far too silent...

Even though he'd made a meal for the Sheffields, he couldn't really bring himself to make anything for his own dinner. Instead, he changed into his nightwear and settled himself down on the sofa. He had the television on, but it was just noise, really. Planning the wedding had been an actual distraction because he'd been thinking about how much C.C. would like everything when she got back, but sitting there at that moment watching one of their shows without her just emphasised the fact that she wasn't there right then.

Eventually the butler gave up, switched the device off, and went into the kitchen. It wouldn't do him any good to starve himself, no matter how much he was missing C.C., so he fixed himself a plate of food and ate it alone at the table, before preparing for bed. All of it actually served to make him feel more alone than ever; dinner and the time they had before falling asleep was probably his favourite part of the day. But they had missed it, and would be missing it for weeks. He climbed into what didn't feel like their bed, not without her there to warm it with him, and switched off the light.

He tossed and turned for hours, unable to fall asleep. He kept wondering how his wife was - had she eaten? Was she warm? What was she doing right at that moment? Was she asleep? Had she...had she been fighting already? Was she fighting right at that very moment?

Was he going to spend every night away from her worrying like this?

He turned the light back on, blinking in the brightness, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. What was he going to do? Being around the Sheffields during the day kept him distracted, but going home at night would probably eventually kill him with worry.

And what happened when wedding plans were all tied up? Would he start missing C.C. at work more than he already was? What would he do when that day came along?

He collapsed back onto the bed, heaving a sigh and rubbing his face with one hand. All he could do was wait and prepare for her to come home, and yet that didn't seem to be enough.

And, if he was were being honest, it truly wasn't enough.

Despite the wedding plans consuming practically all his time (specially when it was the only thing Fran wanted to talk about) the weeks seemed to never go by – and even if both Brightmores had their respective obligations and distractions, their thoughts were always revolving around the other. C.C. , however, had less time to think about her husband; given the danger the mission entailed, and Moody's constant orders, the blonde had to focus on the task at hand.

The negotiations with the giants were advancing - slowly but steadily. By the time the second week had gone past, the Order had reached the beginning of an agreement. Her days consisted on staying at the camp whenever she didn't accompany Hagrid to the tribe, taking care of the camp and carrying our her guards ; granted, it was boring, but at least she wasn't risking her head. She had sent a couple of patronuses to Niles with brief messages, but she always asked him not to answer back.

Her bad moods only worsened by the beginning of the third week, when their already scarce food supplies were running dangerously low. They had settled to eating once a day, and the results of this decision were soon visible on everyone's thinned physique. C.C. knew Niles wouldn't be happy when he saw her weight loss, but she had to live with it.

The third time C.C. had to go alongside Lupin to the tribe, the blonde'd had a bad feeling about it. She couldn't explain it, but it was there, in the back of her mind – a silent voice warning her about imminent danger. Of course the producer had ignored it, she needed to focus, and as hours went past and nothing went wrong began to relax Hagrid had gone into the tribe a few hours ago now, and – considering they hadn't had to escape from a horde of angry giants – she dared to say negotiations were going smoothly. The giants were even kind enough to send them some food around midday while Hagrid carried on the negotiations.

Only when the sun had started to hide behind the tall mountains and the sky had adopted a rosy hue, did they finally spot Hagrid coming out of the tribe. Judging by the satisfied smile hidden underneath his bushy beard they could tell he carried good news, and C.C. dared to hope she'd finally be able to go home. She missed her husband, and there was a big part of her that wanted to go back to her penthouse and snuggle under the covers with her husband as the two of them ate a homemade meal.

"There he comes," Lupin said, pointing at the big figure walking to them.

C.C. stood up from the rock she had been sitting on and stretched. The day was over, they could go back to the camp. "Thank Merlin, I was getting-"

The blonde producer was cut off by Lupin suddenly pushing her to the floor alongside him second before a bright flash of light flew over them. For a split second, confusion clouded her senses, but the moment she heard a loud, maniacal cackle coming from nearby, she knew exactly what was happening:

They were being ambushed by Deat Eaters.

And _darling Bella_ was there with them.

Both Marauders scrambled to their feet, not caring they were smarting from having had to themselves to the ground, and swiftly drew out their wands, ready to fight. They were already retreating to the campsite, protecting the semi-giant, who was wandless.

"Hello, filth!" Bellatrix greeted her with faux sweetness "Missed me?"

"I missed you like one would miss flesh-eating bacteria," C.C. put on her own false smile, the one generally reserved for only the most odious of backers. Maxwell had often told her it had kind of a threatening quality and begged her not to use it on clients, but sometimes she just couldn't help herself. Nanny Fine had taken to calling it 'the Crocodile'. The producer only hoped she could match the ferocity of the animal against her opponent, and squared up to duel the dark-haired woman. Failing the ferocity part, maybe Hagrid would reach the camp in time to raise an alarm, and bring reinforcements.

The fight, even from the start, was as hard fought and rage-filled as the last. The two witches matched each other, curse for curse, shield spell for shield spell. Neither could quite seem to land a hit, and between screaming incantations, they hurled insults back and forth.

"Your spell throwing is as pathetic as your insults," the Death Eater spat, deflecting C.C.'s thrown hex. "Even Sirius had better final words than yours will be!"

This struck a nerve with the producer. Bellatrix seemed to know it, too, because she gave C.C. a sickening grin through the volley of spells sent between them. The blonde witch took in a deep breath, the anger within her boiling up as she deflected another curse.

"Unless his last words were about how hideous his cousin is, I highly doubt it!" she snarled, hurling another spell, which the Death Eater only just managed to dodge. Suddenly it had become more than a game to the dark-haired witch.

Not giving her time to recover, C.C. fired yet another spell, and this time it hit her rival. Bellatrix was thrown against a tree and, for a second, she lost her wand and was dazed by the blow.

"Come on C.C. we have to go! She's down!" Lupin screamed, stupifying another Death Eater.

But C.C. didn't move, in turn she advanced towards her fallen rival, and pointed her wand at her. She wanted vengeance, and she was going to have it.

" _Crucio_!" the blonde screamed and delighted in the sight of her enemy thrashing around in pain. C.C. wanted to hurt the woman, she wanted her to suffer just as she had the time Bellatrix craved 'mudblood' on her skin.

But to Bellatrix's credit she had endurance, and reisted the multiple crucios the producer fired at her.

"Weak bitch," Bellatrix spat between gritted teeth.

"We shall see, Bella dear. Now, I think it's you who has to say her final words." C.C. had an almost diabolical smirk on her face, and she could only think on how glorious it was going to be seeing Bellatrix's dead eyes. " _Avada_ -"

"BABCOCK , STOP!" Lupin screamed, momentarily distracting C.C.. The seconds she looked away were enough for Bellatrix to recover her wand, and point it at C.C., who had to jump to the ground in order to dodge her attack.

The fight resumed, and both witches lost track of the time they fought. It only came to an end, when the black haired woman disarmed C.C.. The pair of witches stood still for a second, and both released a low bitter laugh. Lupin was busy fighting another three Death Eaters, and he couldn't possibly help her now - the end was seconds away, and both of them knew it.

"Say goodbye, filth," the black haired witch sneered, fiddling with her wand. C.C. could see the bloodlust written in her deranged, black eyes, but she was not willing to give her the satisfaction of begging for her life.

"Never to you, bitch." the blonde finally retorted, folding her arms over her chest, bravely awaiting for the end. She mentally asked Niles for forgiveness...

Just a second before Bellatrix murdered her, they heard a loud, throaty voice behind them.

C.C. smiled, help had come.

" _Bombarda_!" Alastor bellowed, and the two witches flew through the air. The world around her revolved around without control, and - although she knew that was not the case - the producer felt her body was in the air for hours. She was able to see Bella landing meters away from her moments before she bumped her head against the rock she landed upon...

And everything went black.

* * *

C.C.'s head was throbbing. The producer didn't exactly know where she was or why her body felt so heavy, but what she did know, was just how much she craved for a nice paracetamol. The witch felt as though her head had been hit with a brick, and the slightest movement represented a gargantuan effort. She chose not to open her eyes – the lights were too bright so, considering she already had a splitting headache, she decided to rest for a few more minutes. The producer also felt incredibly groggy, but as her slow waking mind slowly became alert if her surroundings she heard a number of muffled voices coming from behind her.

"We have to send her back! They know she's here and she has a head wound," said the first voice, sounding both concerned and angry.

"I have to agree with you, Lupin. She is not only endangered herself, but the mission as well," Another voice responded, although this one sounded a lot more rougher than the first one.

C.C. tried to move again; her body was incredibly sore, and the moment she took her hand to the back of her head she found it was covered by a bandage. She delicately pressed on the gauze-covered spot and yelped in pain, effectively putting a halt to the conversation happening just behind her.

"She's coming to," the first voice – which C.C. now recognised as Lupin's said.

As she fluttered her eyes open, she found herself laying inside one of the tents, with a few Order members around her. Moody was one of them, and he had that look on his face that meant danger. He was probably furious.

"Wh-what happened?" the blonde asked attempting to sit up, but was not allowed to do so by Tonks, who gently pushed her back down onto the bed.

"Don't move, you bumped your head real hard."

"I...what?!" the producer's hand again traveled to the back of her head and met the soft bandage wrapped around it. "But how...?

"You where fighting with Bellatrix. She managed to overpower you and Alastor had to hurl a bombarda at both of you, so as to get you out of Bellatrix's killing curse," Lupin explained quietly.

"And none of this would have happened if you had listened to Lupin!" Moody yelled, beating the ground with his staff "Why didn't you run when Bellatrix was down? Because you wanted bloody revenge! I thought you knew better than to endanger your own safety and ours, Babcock!"

C.C. wanted to get up again – to argue back, and to shout, like she would have done had the person yelling at her been some Muggle set designer, or choreographer causing trouble. But it wasn't. It was Alastor Moody, who knew what she had done; that she'd compromised the entire mission, as well as endangered them all by doing so. All because she'd wanted a moment of vengeance, which, the more she thought about it, didn't feel quite so good any more. What good would it do? It wouldn't bring Sirius back. It would just be more killing – she was better than that. So she decided to stay down. Well, all that plus the fact that Moody was still yelling, and it was starting to make her already aching head throb even more.

But through the pain, something said earlier was coming back to register, and C.C. blinked slowly, thinking about it as well as trying to get the floating coloured spots to leave her vision.

"Wait a minute...did someone say you have to send me back?"

Moody stopped mid-rant to listen, and then got straight back into it, "Of course we have to send you back! You didn't listen to orders, you compromised this entire plan, and you sustained a wound in the process! You're obviously a danger to yourself and others, and this is too important to let get away from us, just because of one foolhardy witch who doesn't know how to control herself."

This made C.C. sit up – slowly, but she did it. Moody had turned away, and was speaking to Lupin.

"Help her pack her bags, and see her safely back to her husband."

She wanted to argue, to try and pester Moody until he had surrendered and allowed her to stay... But she knew better than to do so; the auror was right, she had behaved like a complete reckless little witch, and she had almost gotten killed in the process. Had it not been for Moody's intervention, they'd probably be taking her lifeless body to her husband by now.

Shit... her husband!

C.C. was sure that when Niles was told what had happened, he'd be furious with her. Great... what a perfect way to end a mission: injured and in major trouble with both the Order and Niles.

The blonde allowed her fellow Marauder to drape an arm around her waist, and help her out of the tent. Her friend was angry, the deep furrow he was sporting told her so – that and the fact he hadn't spoken to her since they had gotten out of Moody's earshot. The werewolf sat her down on a rock next to her own tent while he packed her things, carelessly throwing them inside her enchanted bag.

"Here's your wand, Babcock," he hissed, tossing said item to her.

"Thanks..." the blonde fiddled with her weapon, her gaze fixed on it. She had never liked disappointing anyone, much less her friends. Yeah, yeah, how very 'Gryffindor' of her, but that was who she was. "Moony... I am sorry for what happened."

Remus didn't look at her, but she saw him heave a sigh from of the corner of her eye. She took this as a good signal – back on her schooldays, Lupin always did so whenever he was trying to calm himself down after they'd gotten into trouble due to one of their shenanigans. Shortly after, he'd usually rub his temples and tried to reason with his troublesome friends.

"You were foolish," he eventually stated, sitting by her side, momentarily forgetting about her luggage.

"I know."

"Why did you do it? You've always been a professional during missions, what happened?" Remus was genuinely curious, his friend had never been one to act in a reckless manner when lives – especially her own – were at stake. He enveloped her shoulders with his arm, in a reassuring manner.

"She taunted me with Sirius death," she choked out, feeling a familiar anguish in her chest. "She said that his last words..." C.C. hid her face in her hands, and tried taking deep , soothing breaths. "and I...I lost it. After everything she did to me, to us, I couldn't help myself, I don't know why."

Understanding washed over Lupin like waterfall, and he held his friend even closer to him. Now her actions made a little more sense.

"And now, I've managed to fuck everything up and I'll surely be kicked out of the order... I am sure Moody will try," she whimpered, biting back the sobs that were threatening to escape her trembling body. She might have found her soulmate, but Sirius' death was still an open wound; C.C. didn't love his late friend anymore, but she'd give anything to have him with her.

Much to C.C.'s surprise, Lupin released a chuckle. "Don't be stupid, Sinnamon Roll, you won't be kicked out! I've even heard Moody saying under his breath that you'll pay for your mistake during training – he said something like he's going to make you train until your body is worn out and aching," Lupin allowed a small smile to creep to his lips, "He's just angry, and you know how he gets when he is angry. He is sending you back to teach you a lesson and because with a wounded head you are of no use here, you are only endangering your life!"

For the first time since she'd woken up, the producer allowed herself to look at her friend in the eye. He was no longer frowning, in turn he was displaying his usual gentle smile.

"Now come on, Sinnamon Roll, we still have packing to do."

Once her bags were ready, C.C. took Lupin's hand and allowed him to apparate her back to her penthouse. Her home was empty, and judging by the time, Niles wouldn't get home until a few more hours. Lupin helped a dizzy C.C. to the sofa, and conjured a pillow and a blanket for her. She fell asleep the minute she rested her head on the pillow, and Lupin sat by her side, reading a book as he awaited for her husband to come home.


	17. Chapter 17

**_Chapter 17_**

 ** _Consequences_**

Niles was tired. He not only had had a long day at the Sheffield's mansion, but the weeks that his wife had been away from him had taken their toll on his mood. What made matters worse was that he had ran out of distractions: the wedding was already planned, the invitations had been sent, and he had already bought his tux. As a consequence, his thoughts swirled around his wife's well-being at all times; he couldn't help but to worry, and the only thing he craved for was to have her in his arms once again.

He would have never thought he'd miss someone that much, but the loneliness caused by her absence was eating him alive. He knew most of his yearning for C.C. stemmed from the fact she was on a dangerous mission – at the mercy of evil creatures and Death Eaters alike – and the last Patronus he had received from her had been from five days ago. According to his wife, she didn't think they'd be staying there for much more time – the negotiations had gone ok, and although the giants still refused to aid the Order, they had agreed to stay out of the conflict in case The Dark Lord asked them to join their side. C.C. had also mentioned she hadn't been feeling particularly well these past week or so – she was constantly nauseous, particularly in the morning. Considering supplies were running low and they had resorted to eating food given to them by the giants, the spouses supposed it was simply a stomach bug. Nothing to worry about.

However, there was a part of Niles that craved to pamper her with dry toast and tea until she felt better, but for the foreseeable future, that wasn't going to be the case.

 _Or at least that's what he thought…_

You can imagine the butler's surprise the moment he opened their apartment's door and found none other than Remus Lupin and his wife before him, the latter being sound asleep on the comfortable sofa. The producer had a bandage around her head, and it looked as though she needed one or two good meals; he was certain her cheekbones and hipbones weren't so pronounced when she left.

"Hello Niles, I suppose you want an explanation, don't you?" the werewolf spoke softly as he rose his eyes from the book he'd been reading. "Let me summarise it for you: she got in a fight with Bellatrix, she was disarmed, and in order for her not to be killed, Alastor had to throw a spell at her. As a result, she bumped her head, but she's ok."

The butler didn't know what to do. His first instinct would have been to shout out in shock and confusion, to demand an explanation as to how C.C. came to be in that situation in the first place, and to exclaim how he should never have let her go in the first place. But his wife was asleep on the sofa – he didn't want to wake her, if she didn't have a concussion or anything, and Lupin had seemed to know what he was talking about. He went to her, and quietly knelt by her side.

"If everything is alright, then why did you bring her back?" Niles asked Lupin without looking at him.

The werewolf hesitated, "We felt that...it would be best if C.C. came home. A head injury, even a minor one, could develop complications in an environment like that."

The butler felt that Lupin was hiding something from him, but didn't pry. If it was important, he could always ask C.C., when she was feeling more up to it.

He turned to look at her again; she looked peaceful in her sleep. Niles wondered if this was the most sleep she'd had in days – he'd say so, judging by the dark circles under her eyes. Now that she was back, he was going to take care of her properly – a bit of comfort after a month in the wilderness would do her the world of good. He knew just where to start, too. It had been far too long since he'd made them both dinner, so that is what he would do whilst she slept. It would be a pleasant surprise for her when she woke up!

"Is everything going to be alright now?" Lupin asked, causing Niles to start. The butler had almost completely forgotten that their fellow Order member was there. He smiled.

"I imagine so," the butler indicated to his sleeping wife. "I've got my favourite home entertainment system back, after all."

Lupin chuckled, and rose from his chair, holding out a hand for Niles to shake, "Then I shall say farewell for now, Niles. I think C.C. is in good hands, somehow. Tell her I send my best, when she wakes up."

Niles grasped Lupin's hand, "I will, and thank you for bringing her back to me."

With one last nod, the werewolf Apparated away, no doubt back to the camp. Niles didn't remain still for long, though. With one last beam at his wife – oh thank Merlin she was home! – he headed for the kitchen. If he was going to surprise her with a meal, he had work to do.

C.C. was eventually awoken by the familiar scent of mushroom risotto being prepared. She was famished, and the enticing smell was making her stomach growl. It took her a moment to understand where she was and what had happened to her, but as soon as her still tired mind grasped the fact she was at home, she beamed. The blonde sat up slowly, for each movement she made was making her head throb. The pain was not so intense anymore, though, but she was still feeling slightly dizzy.

"Niles?" she asked as she rested her back against the pillow Lupin had brought for her.

The sound of her voice was like music to Niles' ears, and he rushed back into the living room. The moment they saw each other, all of their worries and sorrows melted away.

"Come here and kiss your wife!" C.C. ordered, opening her arms.

Niles lost no time, and in a split second he was safely hidden in her embrace, kissing her softly. She was alive, she was alright... now he could relax. He stroked her back with one of his hands, while the other cupped her cheek and helped him dictate the intensity of their kiss.

"I missed you," he murmured against her mouth.

"I missed you, too. And although my stupid mistake costed me my place in the mission, I am glad it got me home earlier."

Niles pulled away, and stared at C.C. with an increasingly confused look. What was she talking about? Mistake? Wasn't she attacked? "What are you talking about, love?"

C.C.'s eyes widened, and chewed at her lower lip. "You mean Lupin didn't tell you the whole story?"

"No, he told me the Order didn't want to risk your head wound developing complications," her husband was confused, and his eyebrows furrowed. "Did he leave out part of the story?"

He could say that again! The producer sighed, still feeling a little dizzy. It would most likely be difficult, and she knew without a doubt he would be angry, but he had to know. Sooner rather than later, too. The longer she left it, the worse the fallout would be when the truth came to light. Not that she had spoken yet, and it had already been a minute without either of them talking. Niles blinked, his features softening and growing concerned.

"Is everything alright, C.C.?" he put a hand on her leg in a comforting manner. He suddenly seemed to have another thought. "Is your head hurting? We can talk about this later, when you've rested, and I'll go check on dinner-"

His wife shook her head, and before he could get up to go to the kitchen, she had pulled him back to her.

"No, Niles. My head's fine, it's just..." she took a deep breath, in and out, not looking him in the eye. "I...the head wound...the entire fight that caused it...it was all my fault."

The butler stared at her, silently requesting clarification. C.C. tried again, hoping going from the beginning might help.

"We...ran into Death Eaters. Bellatrix was there, and we duelled. We were ordered to retreat, but she...told me something, and it made me angry, and I couldn't let it go. So I ignored the warnings to get back to the camp...I wanted to hurt her, so badly! I...I used curses, I shouldn't have...I tried to finish her off, but Moody got to me first," C.C. could feel hot tears trickling down her cheeks. "I endangered the whole mission, and I nearly got everybody killed!"

For a second Niles didn't know what to do or say, he could only stare at his wife. If he was angry, his expression didn't show it. "You did what?"

Ok, that was an understatement. He was furious. His dangerously low tone of voice told her so.

For a second, it appeared that Niles would allow her to talk, but he changed his mind in the last second. He didn't want to hear what had happened, he wanted to see it, so he tipped her chin up with his left hand and looked into her eyes.

Penetrating her mind was easy, and the memory he was looking for popped up almost immediately. He could see her standing in front of Bellatrix, disarmed, and with her arms folded. The black haired witch had a twisted grin on her face, and was getting ready to throw the killing curse at her.

 _"Say goodbye, filth."_

 _"Never to you, bitch."_

Those were the last words said before he saw the loud explosion and everything went black. He didn't need to see more, though, so he pulled out of her mind, and had to try and contain the anger that was bubbling up inside him.

What had she been thinking?! She had almost gotten herself killed! He had almost... he had almost lost her!

"I am sorry, Niles."

Yelling would most likely make him feel better, but she was still weak, and no matter how angry he got inside, he cared about her too much to potentially make it worse. She was clearly already more than disappointed in herself, anyway. Moody had probably chewed her out over the whole scenario, as well. In all likelihood, she felt horrible inside. Did he really have it in him to give her the same treatment? He had been aware that she was doing something dangerous, after all, and he had agreed anyway. And this wasn't the absolute worst thing that could've happened – the mission could go hang as far as he was concerned, because she was here and she wasn't...she was here and she was alive. That's all that mattered to him. Sighing, he leaned forward and gently kissed her head, just above the bandages.

"I'm still mad, don't get me wrong," he told her, keeping his voice level. "You could have been killed, and that matters to me more than any business with the Order. But we'll talk about it later, when you're feeling better. For now, let's just try to have a nice, quiet evening at home, hm?"

Well, that was a curveball. She hadn't expected this reaction, and his gentleness towards her made her want to cry. He was hurting, he was furious, yet he cared so much about her he was willing to let it go for now.

"You are too good for me," she murmured, wrapping her arms around her body.

He simply shook his head, and enveloped his own arms around her weakened body. "You really must have bumped your head really hard to say such a nice thing to me."

He was... teasing her? C.C. had to stifle a giggle, "I'll plead temporary insanity."

"That's what I thought."

Dinner was pleasant and relaxed – they ate his delicious, homemade Mushroom Risotto cuddled together in their bed while watching a movie. She fell asleep before it was over, though, and Niles relished on the feeling of her body resting peacefully against his side. He had missed her warmth, and having her by his side made him forget about every bad thing in their lives.

The following morning, the butler gave Maxwell a call and informed him he wouldn't go to work for he had to take care of C.C., and Maxwell agreed without hesitation. Next, he took some new bandages from the bathroom cabinet, and headed to their bed.

"C.C., time to change your bandages," he said softly before gently shaking his wife awake.

"Mm...?" she twitched, blinked her eyes open slowly and yawned, stretching. "Oh! Okay..."

She pulled herself upright, and Niles seated himself next to her on the edge of the bed, having cleared a space on the nightstand for the bandages. He peeled back the ones already dressing C.C.'s wound, trying not to let her see him wince at the closing cut and the purple bruising that surrounded it underneath, and replaced it with the fresh wrappings. Neither talked at that moment, each preferring the butler concentrated in order to get it right.

When he was done, he studied the new bandages carefully, "Not too tight, are they?"

"No," his wife replied, chancing a smile. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, love," Niles disposed of the old bandages, and put a hand on her upper arm, as if to guide her somewhere. "Now, how would you feel about trying to have at least a little breakfast?"

"I guess a little breakfast wouldn't ki-" she paused, the phrase " _kill me_ " sticking in her mouth. It was harmless, really, but she doubted Niles would appreciate it. "I'd love some breakfast, thank you, Niles."

Metaphorically sidestepping the awkward words his wife had almost used, Niles made to help her stand up, and with one arm around her back and the other holding her hand, he escorted her to the table.

The two of them sat down, and Niles started breakfast with a flick of his wand. Soon, the kitchen was filled with pleasant smells, and as the different aliments floated to the table once ready, the couple began to eat.

If there was one thing C.C. loved about her husband, was his cooking. He did wonders in the kitchen, and lucky for her, he intended to pamper her with delicious meals for as long as they both shall live. There was an elephant in the room, however, and the unusual tension was proof of this. Niles really wanted to discuss the subject, but he didn't want to pressure her into doing so while she was injured.

"We can talk about it if you want."

Niles tore his eyes away from the bagel he was greasing with butter, and fixed his gaze on her. The dark circle under her eyes were almost gone, and she seemed to be feeling good...

Alright. He supposed it would be best to clear the air now, rather than later. He didn't like this off feeling between them, even if it was of his doing, and he wanted it gone as soon as possible. He put down his knife and his half-buttered bagel, and looked her in the eyes from across the table.

"What were you thinking?"

The question was tinged with disappointment, and it made C.C. feel as though she had shrunk. She dropped her gaze from his, and lowered her own knife and fork, all of a sudden no longer feeling hungry.

"I don't know," she felt the tears coming again – the heat behind her eyes was back. But she had to be strong; they needed to have this conversation. "I was angry. She'd just made me so, so angry..."

Her body began to shake with whimpers, and Niles felt the previously stony look on his face soften.

"What did she say, to make you nearly risk your life?" his tone was the same as always. He needed to know, and was serious about letting her know how grave it could have been.

"She was...taunting me," C.C. tried to keep her breathing even, but her fist was clenching with the effort. Niles was about to reprimand her, over how insults were not worth risking her life and their future for, when she finished her sentence. "...About Sirius."

The words that left his wife's mouth silenced him. He hadn't been expecting this, and now her reaction made much more sense. He was still upset nonetheless, but he understood.

"She said Sirius... Sirius last words were..." her words trailed off, and she soon felt Niles' hand on hers.

"And what did you do?" He encouraged her to keep talking.

"I crucioed her."

Niles eyebrows shot up in surprise, he hadn't been expecting that either. "You did what?!"

"I used an Unforgivable Curse on her!" his wife wasn't crying anymore, but her body was shaking and she looked vaguely like she was going to be sick. "I wanted her to feel pain, and I made it happen! I could've killed her, and I almost did, for Sirius, but the others...the others stopped me..."

She sat forward, head in her hands, "They saved me, and I thanked them by ruining the mission and putting them all in danger!"

Niles sat back in his own chair, feeling oddly winded. Back when he believed her to be a Muggle, he'd often thought about how she could be cruel, but to resort to torture, even the torture of someone a thousand times crueller, was a shock. And she had claimed to do it for Sirius...he didn't know the man, but would Sirius have wanted that? She had told him Sirius was a good man – would a good man ask for vengeance? He wanted to ask her about this, but her head was still in her hands, like she was trying to shut out everything that had happened. This was clearly like ongoing torture for her already.

He didn't condone her methods, but neither did she.

C.C. sat back, still not looking at him. Instead, her gaze was focused on the window.

"Don't you have anything to say?" she asked weakly. Any minute now, she was expecting him to start lecturing her again – about how her methods were wrong (which she already knew), that the Order was right to have sent her back (again, she knew that), and that he was wrong to have expected more of the Bitch of Broadway. Her deepest fear seemed only a stone's throw away – she'd lose him, just not in the way she'd expected. Would she ever stop ruining her own life with her stupid, rash behaviour?! She chanced a glance out of the corner of her eye, not fully understanding how he could still be looking at her.

Niles had a deadpan expression on his face, and lingered in his seat for some tense minutes before standing up and walking to his wife. He gently beckoned her to follow him to the couch, and sat her down on his lap.

"C.C., we all make mistakes, and I certainly understand why you did what you did. Although I don't condone the use of the unforgivables under any circumstance, I won't judge you for doing so. I am not sure how I'd react if someone ever hurt you, perhaps I'd lose control too."

By now he had pulled her into his embrace, and had his arms wrapped around her. One of his hands was cradling her head, holding it against his cheek.

"My point, love, is that it wasn't worth it. But you've already realised that by yourself. You could have died just because of a stupid urge for vengeance, and I think this was a lesson you needed to experience. I love you C.C., no matter what, and I don't want to lose you, so please don't do something so reckless ever again."

There was a second of silence before his wife erupted into loud sobs. He had to stifle a laugh, she was being unusually emotional, something he found awfully endearing. It seems the mission had truly messed with her emotions and, judging by the time of the month she was probably PMSing.

"You... are... too... good ... for... me," she let out in between sobs.

Niles cuddled his wife and rubbed her back and arms, making soothing sounds. He didn't understand why she would think him too good for her, considering he often felt the more fortunate one in their marriage. But that was a talk they'd have on another day. With everything now out in the open, they could start to relax again. They couldn't very well start their marriage with any secrets, after all!

Marriage...the wedding! He still had to tell her about how preparations had been coming along!

He kissed the top of her head, and held her as close as possible to let her finish crying.

"I'm...ugh, sorry," C.C. sniffed, blinking away the last of her tears and shifting to make herself more comfortable against him. "I know I don't get like this very often, but when I do, I always end up a mess."

"Not to me," he replied softly. He stroked her arm, his previous thought suddenly becoming forefront. "How about I go get the plans Miss Fine and I made for the wedding, and we go through them? I've been dying to know what you'll think."

The mention of the nanny and her wedding in the same sentence made her shudder. She loved Fran, but when it came to tasteful things the Queens-born wasn't in her element.

"Yeah, sure, that sounds great!"

Niles delved in his pocket for his wand, and summoned a tiny notebook that zoomed in their direction. The moment he opened it, she had to eat her words. Everything she saw there was perfect: the cake, the china, the flowers... it was all beautiful! She smiled when she noticed the presence of lilies in her bouquet, he had remembered they were her favourites.

"Niles, this is all... beautiful! And the invitations are so elegant! I love you made one for Muggles and one for wizards. Speaking of that, have you settled the portkeys? Have you told Yetta and Sylvia we are wizards?" C.C. barely took a breath between her words, she was far too excited.

Yep, she was definitely emotional today. Now he was certain she was probably nearing her period.

Niles chuckled, "Seeing as you said all of that so fast, I will break down my answers to make up for it. First of all; thank you, I thought it was all in rather good taste, too. I made sure to not let Fran get too ahead of herself, which probably made a difference. The portkeys are made, and are ready and waiting at the mansion. I used some white china vases – they don't look out of place, they match the look of the wedding, and they're not too expensive so it doesn't matter if they break."

His face then dropped, and C.C. raised an eyebrow.

"As for your last question..." her husband shifted uncomfortably. "Not yet."

C.C. groaned, if explaining their nature to a regular Muggle was hard, she couldn't (and frankly didn't want to) imagine how hard explaining it to the older Fine women was going to be.

"Oh well, tomorrow we can try and tell them all about our world. Afterwards, I can finally chose my wedding gown! I bet Fran will be more than happy to..."

C.C. trailed off when she felt a strong urge to vomit. She sprung out of the couch and dashed to the nearest bathroom, where she emptied the contents of her stomach. She tried to stand, but a strong nausea forced her to remain on the floor, and shortly another bout of sickness made her cough uncontrollably, but nothing came out – her stomach was already empty.

She eased herself round delicately as she heard Niles rush into the room after her. His entire face was filled with concern.

"Are you alright?" the butler went to her side and knelt there, one hand on her back, the other taking her hand. "Can you stand, or do you need to sit for a while? Do you feel feverish? Do you-"

"Niles!" she interrupted him, perhaps a little sharply, as he started at her words. She frowned. "Sorry. But no, I don't feel feverish, and I need to sit, but only for a moment."

Her husband nodded, and decided to sit with her, "What was that, anyway?"

"I don't know," C.C. was confused – she'd been feeling fine, right up until that moment. "I guess it's the bug I picked up out on the mission..."

"Well, maybe it's just as well you're home, then," Niles gave her a small smile and wrapped his arm fully around her. He gave her a light squeeze. "Passing something around the camp wouldn't have done the mission any good. Besides, if you're here, I can take care of you."

C.C. returned his smile, "I guess you're right..."

"See? You must be sick – you just said I was right. And you've been apologising all day," the butler teased. "I should have known something wasn't right before."

"Don't get cocky; I could've picked another bug from your cooking, Hazel," C.C. smirked in reply. Niles lay a hand over his heart, feigning hurt.

"Just when I was about to offer to make you some dry toast, you go and do this!" he sighed dramatically. "You certainly know how to wound a man!"

"Yeah, I do, so you'd better get started on that toast, mister," his wife suppressed a chuckle as Niles kissed her cheek and got to his feet, heading for the kitchen. "I'm gonna clean my teeth, I'll be in when I'm done."

"Whatever you say, boss!" he exclaimed, already halfway to the kitchen.

* * *

 **AN: She is back, safe and sound! So, what do you think? We'd truly appreciate the reviews :) Thanks for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18**_

 _ **Dress Hunting**_

Nietzsche had once said that it is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages, and Niles couldn't agree more with that statement. They hadn't been born for barely two months now, but he could swear it had been longer; the honeymoon stage hadn't lasted for long – the upcoming war was to blame for it, really – and the couple had had to put the Order's business before anything else. The rest of the Order members that had attended the mission returned only five days after C.C., for after the Death Eaters attacked the giants hadn't wanted to conduct any more negotiations with them. The mission hadn't been a complete failure, though; the Order had at least agreed with the giants that, although they weren't going to aid them against Voldemort's legions, they wouldn't form part of them, either.

It was bittersweet, really, but they couldn't really complain... there was no time for whining when they had to plan how to win a warm, after all.

C.C. had been allowed to stay at home for some days after she returned for the mission, both because Moody was still furious with her and because she needed time to recover from the blow she had received on her head. Niles had been more than happy to have her at home for a little longer, and they decided to make good use of their times and work on their wedding – more specifically to get C.C. a proper wedding dress. She hadn't had time to even think about it before she left for the mission, but thanks to some last minute calls and the fact that her maiden name was Babcock, C.C. managed to make an appointment in New York's most exclusive bridal shop. They had agreed Nanny Fine to accompany her so she could get her ow dress, too. Much to C.C.'s chagrin, however, both Yetta and Sylvia had decided to join in the little shopping trip.

After the alarm had gone off at 8 am sharp, as usual, Niles got out of bed and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for both he and his wife. The mysterious nausea had persisted for a few days, but lately it had gotten slightly better – at least she could now have breakfast without vomiting as soon as she stopped eating! He had insisted on her to go to the doctor, but C.C. had downplayed her symptoms and had alleged that after having rested a few days she'd be as good as new. He hadn't wanted to argue with her, and as she had actually gotten better he hadn't brought up going to the doctor again. Her head wound was also healing nicely, and they had decided for her to keep it bandaged for a few more days.

Overall things were going nicely, and the few days C.C. had been given to rest had been good for them, but Niles wondered how long this strange peace would last. He knew they'd have to get involved in the war again in the next few days, but maybe he should enjoy the precious time he had with his wife. With this new resolution in mind he gave a flick of his wand and prepared a copious breakfast and took it back to their room, where C.C. was already awake and waiting for him.

"Morning, Hazel," the blonde yawned, stretching on the bed as her husband sat by her side and balanced the tray on his lap. "What have you got there?"

"Your usual doggy food, of course," he replied, taking her cup of coffee in his hand and handed it to his wife. "Don't worry, I bought you pedigree."

"Take that away from here, it's making me sick!" she practically pleaded, pushing the mug away from her. "Jesus Christ I can't stand that smell!"

Niles looked at the cup, blinking. It was the usual blend he made for her, done exactly as she'd always had it. What could possibly have changed? He didn't understand, but she wanted it away from her, so he got rid of it.

Maybe it was part of the bug, he thought to himself as he put the cup in the sink. When it went away, she'd return to her normal self.

Still, it all seemed rather odd.

He returned to the bedroom and retook his place next to his wife. She was busy tucking into the rest of the breakfast, nothing seemingly bothering her now the offending smell was gone.

"So, at what time do you have to leave to get your dress?" he asked, retaking his seat beside her.

"At 10:30," His wife calmly explained, greasing her toast with jam. She changed her mind in the last second, however and Niles had to observe in awe and slight discomfort how she took a spoonful of yogurt and spread it over the half-buttered toast. "And remember we'll be having lunch with Maxwell, Nanny Fine, Yetta and Sylvia. We need to tell them about our magic – I doubt we can keep this a secret for longer. Not with the war so close, don't you think?"

"Uh...yeah… sure," he gave her a half smile, pointing at her curious breakfast topping. "Usually people prefer jam or marmalade with their butter, but I guess this is your breakfast, and not my business."

C.C. took a bite out of her toast, and Niles tried not to show any emotion which could be construed as disgust. He didn't understand how that could possibly be any good, and yet his wife appeared to be enjoying it a lot.

She shrugged at him, "I just thought all of a sudden it was a good idea. I wasn't wrong, either!" she offered him the toast, a little yogurt dripping from the bread. "Here, you try!"

Niles' face screwed up minutely as he attempted to keep what remained of his happy face. "I'll take your word for it, love," he gently pushed her wrist away, and she lowered the odd combination back to her plate. She shrugged again.

"Suit yourself," she said. "But you're missing out."

Niles was almost one hundred percent certain that he wasn't missing out on anything, but he decided to let it go. If this bizarre combination made her feel better whilst she had the bug, he wasn't going to stop her. Why take away something that was making her happy? He didn't have to watch her eat it, or have any of it himself. He could probably occupy himself elsewhere for the time being, anyway. Niles' smile came fully back to his face, and he rose from the bed, kissing the top of her head.

"In a little while, we can see how your head is clearing up," he told her, heading for the bathroom. "I'll see that we've got enough bandages, if those ones need replacing."

The butler rummaged through the cabinet until he spotted the very last package of bandages just behind his shaving cream. He took the package in his hand and got back into the bedroom. His wife had already moved in bed, allowing him to take a seat next to her. This time he almost didn't wince at the sight of her wound, for it was in much better shape than the last time he had seen it.

"There, all done," he spoke while securing the bandage in place. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, a lot more," she responded as she pulled him to her, relishing in the smell of his cologne mixed with the sweet scent of cinnamon, an aroma she had started associating only with him. "But for now, what do you say if we stay in bed for a little longer? I still have a while until I meet with Nanny Fine. " she pleaded, running her fingers through his hair.

He pretended to think about it, "Hm...alright, if that's what you want. But we can't stay too long, otherwise we'll have an irate brunette knocking down our door, demanding that you go dress shopping with her, and she'll be closely followed by a disgruntled British producer who is most likely embarrassed about the whole thing, an older blonde woman wanting lunch and loudly proclaiming so, and an even older woman who won't really know where she is, what she wants, or why she's there."

"You always know exactly what to say to send a chill straight up my spine," she muttered amusedly. "I arranged to meet Nanny Fine at the dress shop, and I've still got a while yet. We've got time for this."

"I'm glad to hear it," her husband was feeling rather comfortable, and knowing they didn't have to move yet was calming. There would be time for stress later today, when they had to have the dreaded talk with the unaware Fine family members, but for now, it could be pushed to the back of his mind.

They stayed like that for what could have been anywhere between an hour or several. There wasn't much talking, just the closeness of their bodies, and listening to each other's breathing. After a month spent apart, the sound was soothing, and the warmth very much welcome. Niles was almost drifting off to sleep, his head in the crook of C.C.'s neck, when suddenly his wife jolted and started to move off the bed. He pulled away and sat up, looking at her in confusion. C.C. indicated to the clock on the nightstand.

"Time flies, Butler Boy," she picked up her wand. "We both have to get going."

After transfiguring their pyjamas into presentable clothes, both Brightmores Disapparated, each heading to a different destination – Niles to the Sheffield's kitchen, as usual, and C.C. Apparated a few blocks away from the bridal shop. After all, she couldn't simply pop up in the middle of a shop full of unsuspecting Muggles! She also took a moment to place a concealing charm on her head wound and then headed off.

"Hiya Mrs. Brightmore!" Fran waved her hand enthusiastically when the blonde stepped into the store. The nanny looked like a kid in a candy shop, which was no wonder at all. "This place is fantastic! The dresses are so pretty, you'll surely find yours in no time!"

"Wait a minute, who's the blonde floozy marrying?" Yetta intervened, "And if she's already married, why does she want a second wedding?!"

"We just went through this, Yetta, remember?" the nanny replied to her grandmother patiently, beaming all over her face. "She's marrying Niles again, because none of us got to see it happen the first time!"

"She's gonna marry the male maid?" Yetta seemed taken aback, despite the look on Fran's face when she turned away saying they were probably well into double digits when it came to counting how many times they'd been over this.

Leaving Sylvia to explain yet again to her mother, Fran and C.C. went to find the store manager.

"Hello ladies, is there something I can help you with today?" the woman who greeted them was neatly and stylishly dressed in a dark skirt and matching jacket. One look at it could tell anyone how expensive her suit was. Fran was beginning to think this was the perfect place for C.C. to pick up a wedding dress – the woman serving them was basically wearing what the blonde wore to work every day.

"Yes, I'm C.C. Brightmore, and this is my maid of honour, Fran Fine," the producer took charge of the situation immediately, feeling confident in having control over this. "I have an appointment today to look at bridal gowns?"

The woman walked to the store counter and flipped through a delicate looking book full of names, "Ah, yes! We have you down right here, Mrs Brightmore."

The nanny and the producer grinned at each other. It wouldn't be long until they saw what C.C. was to be married in!

The manager smiled at them, "My name is Katherine, please feel free to call me if you need me."

She tapped a bell on the counter, and two assistants appeared from a back room.

Katherine indicated to them both, the first being a small red-haired woman in her late thirties, and the second a taller brunette who couldn't have been older than nineteen, both dressed just as smartly as their superior, "Mrs Brightmore, this is Helen, and this is Faith. They'll be helping you with the dresses."

C.C. gave smiled at both women and allowed them to take her to an area filled with thousands of hangers with wedding dresses on them. Fran looked as a child in a toy store and practically skipped around the room, while C.C., juxtaposed to her brunette friend, was calmed and remained by the assistants' side.

"So, Mrs Brightmore, do you know what kind of dress you'd like to try?" Faith asked, taking a delicate notebook from her pocket.

"Actually I do. I am interested in only three type of dresses: A-line, ball gown or trumpet silhouette."

"Excellent," Hellen said, writing down C.C.'s stipulations on her notebook. "And what about your maid of honour?"

"I've decided to let her choose, but I have the right to veto any model I don't like. I do have one stipulation: the colour of her dress can be pale yellow, ivory, pearl or alabaster – no other colour," C.C. knew the nanny had good taste – she had proved so by some of the suggestions she had made to Niles while they planned the wedding – but she couldn't help but to fear Nanny Fine coming up with an outrageous bubble pink gown instead of a classy one.

Helen nodded and left to help Fran choose her own gown, while Faith guided C.C. through her own hunt for the perfect dress. Eventually, the four women reunited about an hour and a half later, each of them with three dresses in hand.

"Okay, now what do you say if we start with the bride and then with the maid of honour?" Faith suggested the two friends, and received an approving nod from both of them. C.C. scurried into one of the changing rooms while Fran, Sylvia and Yetta awaited for her to come out.

The first dress she tried was a simple sleeveless, A-line dress with a scalloped neckline. It had a court long train and it was made of silk. Although C.C. looked beautiful, the dress lacked... personality, so it was quickly discarded. The second dress she tried was the one with the trumpet silhouette; it was a nice gown and it flattered her figure, but C.C. was looking for something classier, so the second dress was discarded, too.

And then came the third one... and the moment C.C. stepped out of the changing room everybody stared at her slack-jawed. She looked beautiful with her ball gown dress – it had a wide neckline with sleeves resting on the tip of her shoulder blades. The back was open and it had a royal train.

Fran was practically squealing, and her body had tensed up. Her hands were clasped together in front of her mouth, almost concealing the excited grin she wore on her face.

"This is it!" she squeaked out, clearly becoming emotional as tears began to pool at the corners of her eyes. "This is the dress! Back when I worked at the shop in Queens, I could always tell when a woman had found the right dress, and sweetie, you have found yours!"

C.C. turned this way and that, feeling a smile creeping onto her face. She'd adored the dress from the moment she'd seen it, but hearing her friend voice her approval gave it a whole new meaning, "You really like it?"

"Honey, that dress is you!" the nanny stated firmly, nudging and sending pointed looks to both Sylvia and Yetta. "Isn't that right, Ma? Yetta?"

"I think so," Sylvia began to smile. "I know we've had our ups and downs over the years, but that dress is perfect on you, and I'm not saying that just because you're marrying the man who makes the best pancakes this side of anywhere!"

C.C. smiled, appreciating whatever sentiment was in the older woman's words. The women then turned to Yetta, who had been silent throughout. She was staring at C.C.. Fran blinked.

"Yetta, don't you have anything to say, sweetie?"

"Since when is Miss Babcock getting married?!" the old woman exclaimed. Sylvia rolled her eyes, and Fran and C.C. stifled laughs.

"Maybe you should show me your dresses now?" C.C. asked, disguising a giggle as a cough. Fran nodded, and disappeared into the changing room with her choices.

The first dress, C.C. said no to straight away. There was nothing wrong with it, per se – it met the only requirements C.C. had set out in that it wasn't too flashy and it was ivory in colour – but it didn't look right, for some reason. Fran didn't seem that happy about C.C.'s decision, clearly liking the dress, but agreed to go back and try the others.

The next dress fared better in C.C.'s mind. This one suited Fran much more than the last one; pale yellow, with a sheath body and a sweetheart neckline, decorated sparingly with rhinestones. Everyone agreed it looked right and would be suitable, but C.C. insisted that Fran try the last one on anyway.

"Alright, but I'm only doing it for you," the nanny teased as she went back into the changing room.

C.C. gaped as Fran came out to meet them, wearing the last dress.

"That's the one," it was the only thing the bride could think to say. "It's perfect."

The dress in question also had a sheath body, but was pearl pink, and the creased bodice design ended with one very short sleeve that passed over Fran's left shoulder. The brunette smiled as her friend got up to examine it closely. The nanny noticed the emotion on the producer's face. She smirked her.

"No crying until the wedding day," Fran pretended to scold, before lowering her voice. "And especially not on anything we haven't paid for, yet."

"I'll try," C.C. grinned, taking her friend's hands and squeezing them. "You look beautiful, and this is what you're going to wear on my wedding day!"

Tears of happiness began to make their way down both women's cheeks, Sylvia loudly proclaimed how it was nice that Fran had picked any kind of dress in a bridal shop, but it would be even nicer when she was the one wearing the bride's gown, and C.C. moved them on before they could stop and argue about it by calling Kathy, Helen, and Faith over. The store workers agreed the dresses couldn't be better, and soon both items of clothing were paid for and safely tucked away under covers to be picked up closer to the time.

The four women left the place in high spirits, heading for the Sheffield mansion. It was at this point C.C. remembered what was coming next, and her heart felt like it was leaping into her mouth.

Telling Fran and Maxwell had been one thing, telling Sylvia and Yetta about their magic was going to be another thing entirely.

* * *

 **AN: Hello there! We hope you have enjoyed from the chapter :) As usual, we appreciate reviews!**

 **H &L**


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